Duration - 2hours 14minutes
Aparna’s performance “Our Mothers Were Oceans”, examines the societal expectations placed on women, specifically the notion that a woman’s worth is intrinsically tied to her ability to bear children. Aparna uses the traditionally nurturing act of crocheting in a stark, mechanical way to create an 840-meter-long umbilical cord, symbolizing three generations: her grandmother, her mother and herself – representing the looming expectation for her future. As the cord accumulates, it becomes a suffocating presence, mirroring the relentless pressure that reduces women to mere vessels for reproduction. The performance transforms the act of creation from something intimate and caring into a cold, factory-like process, challenging viewers to consider how societal demands shape a woman’s identity.
What does it mean for a woman to be defined by her ability to bear children? How does the repetitive, emotionless act of creation reflect the dehumanizing pressures placed on women? As one watches this performance, these questions invite reflection on how societal expectations are internalized and their impact on a woman’s autonomy and sense of self.
Through this piece, Aparna not only reclaims her own identity but also provokes a deeper understanding of the oppressive systems that define and constrain women’s roles in society.