Invisible Ceilings
Senior Thesis Installation
This installation was created for the Undergraduate Research Symposium at Loyola Marymount University. It was presented as part of the Arts Showcase, in the student art gallery.
Abstract:
Invisible Ceilings: Exposing the Everyday Experiences that Hold Women Back explores the myriad of invisible limits women face which diminish their ability to progress both socially and professionally. These everyday barriers must be called to attention, as the glass ceiling is often perceived as one event in a women’s “professional” life rather than a multitude of experiences which serve to hold women back. This can be seen in problems such as the wage gap, in which women make 80c for every dollar that a man earns, and the pink tax or extra charge that women pay for their products. Potentially most controversial of all is family planning, and even though there is a statistically significant correlation between access to birth control and the advancement of women’s roles in society, my work seeks to highlight how essential its topic has been in allowing women to seek equal opportunities. Furthermore, Invisible Ceilings will visually clarify the many misunderstood topics mentioned above which have been involved in both subverting and asserting women’s power within society, and provide the information which can educate a viewer on these topics. As education is the foundation for change, Invisible Ceilings will allow viewers to recognize the invisible discriminations that women face on a daily basis. My installation will therefore help viewers understand the interconnected nature of women’s issues and how essential one change can be in order to make significant progress in the future.
