The Carrier

[digital]

The social discussion about motherhood inspired me. In the culture I come from, the role of a mother is often undervalued, despite being celebrated in various contexts. In reality, society tends to underappreciate the role of a mother and expects women to make more sacrifices once they become mothers. This phenomenon is pervasive worldwide, with particularly overwhelming expectations placed upon women in Asian societies

Over-glorifying motherhood can be a way of pressuring women into conforming to societal norms and expectations. Societal pressure can distort how mothers view themselves and their roles. The high expectations placed on mothers in some way also made them feel undervalued and taken for granted.

In the piece, I use apples grown on the tip of the woman's hair as a metaphor for the weighty expectations that society imposes as norms. It depicts a woman exhausting her energy to fulfill the role of an expected mother.

It is my hope that mothers will prioritize their own self-worth and self-love over society's expectations of what they should be as mothers. Mothers should strive to align motherhood with their own values and identities, rather than internalizing and conforming to societal pressure and the unrealistic expectations imposed upon them.