WHERE LIES THE BIG BELLY BABY
Jul-2023
A Storytelling Installation
by Ting-Yu Lee
by Ting-Yu Lee
Where Lies The Big Belly Baby seeks to highlight how socio-cultural contexts shape a girl's perception of her mother. The primary goal of this project is to spark a conversation about the issues surrounding the celebration of a mother’s selflessness.
In Taiwan, On the eve of Mother's Day, each city holds a "Role Model Mother Selection", which has a history of nearly 70 years and selects about 1,400 model mothers annually. However, the celebration often perpetuate stereotypes and portray women as self-sacrificing homemakers who prioritize child-rearing and household duties. Meanwhile, children are being told to repay their parents’ lifetime of sacrifices with obedience and care. These values have become social norms and deeply ingrained in families.
The centerpiece of this project is a cabinet that contains storybooks, a dollhouse-sized room, along with various narrative objects. Through the lens of a little girl, the installation presents three small stories that offer a glimpse into how a beloved daughter views her mother and the complex mix of gratitude and fear that exists within the female bloodline. Participants can interact with the installation, which encourages reflection on the themes presented.
It is crucial to recognize that promoting the sacrificing maternal figure as a virtue can be harmful, and we must take steps to counteract this message. Eventually, Big Belly Baby hopes to raise awareness and encourage a re-examination of our societal expectations around motherhood.
In Taiwan, On the eve of Mother's Day, each city holds a "Role Model Mother Selection", which has a history of nearly 70 years and selects about 1,400 model mothers annually. However, the celebration often perpetuate stereotypes and portray women as self-sacrificing homemakers who prioritize child-rearing and household duties. Meanwhile, children are being told to repay their parents’ lifetime of sacrifices with obedience and care. These values have become social norms and deeply ingrained in families.
The centerpiece of this project is a cabinet that contains storybooks, a dollhouse-sized room, along with various narrative objects. Through the lens of a little girl, the installation presents three small stories that offer a glimpse into how a beloved daughter views her mother and the complex mix of gratitude and fear that exists within the female bloodline. Participants can interact with the installation, which encourages reflection on the themes presented.
It is crucial to recognize that promoting the sacrificing maternal figure as a virtue can be harmful, and we must take steps to counteract this message. Eventually, Big Belly Baby hopes to raise awareness and encourage a re-examination of our societal expectations around motherhood.
This short trailer invites you to take peak into the room where lies the big belly baby.
When she finally realized there are stitches and patches on her grown up body and had the ability to speak for herself, she was also old enough that her mother expect her to be considerate and move on. "If you understand my intuition was for your own good, then all those shouldn't be a matter to you."
Before she can remember anything else, she had her baby doll with her. Just like her twin, or to say, reflection, that's why she did want to fix it at first. Her baby doll mat have some issues, old damages perhaps, but there was no one there to help, and that was that. A lady doesn't need her baby doll anymore, so she dropped the doll and left it behind. That was the first time they separated from each other. Just like her inner child will forever lie in her past memories.
"...when she looks at her mother,...understanding her as a figure that she simultaneously resists and depends on;
a figure that she uses, cruelly and lovingly and gratefully, as the base from which to become something more."
- Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
Trailers, akin to short films, masterfully convey atmosphere, while books grant readers the freedom to control their reading speed, offering ample time for reflection on tangible elements within the narrative. A printout prologue tastefully adorns the bookshelf, providing viewers with a concise yet captivating glimpse into the story's background scenario.
The installation is developed based on three stories written in the lens of a beloved daughter viewing her mother. Lovingly Admires is about a girl standing in front of her mother’s dressing table and trying out the makeups. She was fascinated by the transformation and eagered to become as glamerous and beautiful as her mother. Gratefully Uses starts with a daily conversation on a dining table which prompt the girls feelings of guilt and gratitude. Cruelly Worships is a narrative surrounding mother’s day. The girl made a card and expected to give surprise to her mother. However, she get distracted by the news on a TV screen, reflected through a mirror.
“I’m always curious about these potions, wondering what kind of magic makes you my mother.”
The girl believed the dressing table hides all the magic of becoming a mother. TV news and commericals show social values and expectations, which are reflected and can be watched through the mirror.
The 1:6 doll room is designed for some interaction. Participants can switch TV channels by opening or closing one of the table drawers, where they may also find a key. Another table drawer, however, cannot be opened.
Participants can find a real-size locked drawer below the big belly baby doll. This is a zoom-in version of the sealed miniature table drawer. Open this drawer using the key found in the dollhouse, partipants will discover the buried headless doll which belongs to the mother.
“I don’t know where to end and you begin.”
The big belly baby is an embodiment of a daughter gave birth to her mother on the day when she was born. It also shows how crucial it can be when a mother sacrifices and dedicates herself, eventually lose her own identity and put all will onto her children.
“ I know I was nourished by your greatest suffer, but I hate how you see my failure and success as your own. I don’t know which side is you which side is me, and we melted together.”
The Taiwanese home shrine symbolize the deification of a mother and the tangled mother-daughter relationship.
The big belly baby is an embodiment of a daughter gave birth to her mother on the day when she was born. It also shows how crucial it can be when a mother sacrifices and dedicates herself, eventually lose her own identity and put all will onto her children.
“ I know I was nourished by your greatest suffer, but I hate how you see my failure and success as your own. I don’t know which side is you which side is me, and we melted together.”
The Taiwanese home shrine symbolize the deification of a mother and the tangled mother-daughter relationship.
︎ BEHIND THE SCENES
The emphasize phase began with a main research question, with following interviews and secondary research.
This mindmap helped me to analyze and specify during the define phase.
Clarify and define the target audience, context, and format of this project.
When I discussed related issues with my participant - a British-Columbian elderly lady at the end of our user testing, I found that similar challenges were also faced in other cultural contexts. We extended the conversation to the undervaluation of homemakers and the lack of social support. Due to her life experiences, she believed that encouraging more women to take on diverse professional roles could make a significant contribution to society and bring about change.
3D Modeling before building.
During the early days of the public show, I noticed that people tended to keep their distance from the rug and appeared unsure about whether they could take out the books to read or touch anything. Consequently, I placed an instructional note next to the installation, which significantly improved the audience's experience.