A Songbird and the Cock

This project explores the weight of traditional masculinity and its systemic impact on women. Utilizing animal forms as metaphors for social dynamics, the work centers on the relationship between a rooster, a historical symbol of dominance, and a songbird, a self-portrait representing femininity.

The contrast in surface treatments reveals a critique of power. The rooster is finished in a matte white glaze with sporadic 24k gold leaf gilding. This intentional layering suggests that the richness of performative masculinity is often a thin veneer for something dull and insignificant underneath. Conversely, the songbird is finished in a subtle opalescent luster to highlight the inherent brilliance of femininity.

The two forms are bound by a hand-forged steel chain. By crafting the chain from scratch rather than using prefabricated links, the work emphasizes the physical labor and sweat and blood inherent in navigating the patriarchy. The raw steel serves as a visceral reminder of the societal structures that tether women to traditional power dynamics, even when those dynamics are built on hollow foundations.