This set of three triptychs is based on the idea that society has a tendency to put women in certain categories and define what women can and cannot do, simply because of their gender. The inspiration for this project came from Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. Each triptych explores different ways to communicate the idea that women are more that the roles, “Wife, Mother, Housewife, Career Woman”.

My research lead me to one of the most important parts of The Feminine Mystique; the roles of women. That concept plays into how women are perceived today, as well as, throughout history. This helped me choose a metaphor or in my case many. I chose to use many objects that relate to women and their roles in society. I picked things like cooking utensils, lipstick, feminine products, and many more. The objects represent “what it means to be a women.”

This Triptych features Rosie the Riveter breaking the “chain” or roles that society binds women to.

The juxtaposition in this triptych is Open vs Closed. From one poster to the next, the boxes are opening, showing that the roles women fulfill have expanded.