This talk will explore the fascinating way that femininity was expressed and constructed in Singapore in the 1970s and 1980s, where female roles in Singapore mirrored the advances in opportunities for women globally. Fashion practitioner, Daniela Monasterios-Tan and artist, Stephanie Jane Burt will be sharing wonderful images from home economics textbooks of the past, fashion magazines and archive images to give insight into how modern femininity was negotiated and constructed through fashion and education.
Conducted by: A Stubborn Bloom
A Stubborn Bloom is an interdisciplinary collective started by artist Stephanie Jane Burt and fashion practitioner Daniela Monasterios -Tan in 2019. Sharing an interest in the exploration of feminine tropes, the duo brings a new perspective through a synthesis of film, fashion, and material culture. Their projects include Lucy’s Dictionary of Femininity, a digital anthology of feminine objects and femininity, following the dictionary chart of the alphabet. Each alphabet was represented by an object holding meaningful representations of girlhood. The dictionary seeks to reframe domestically-feminine objects that are conventionally perceived as objects and signs of weakness, thus imbuing them with contemporary notions of strength.
The accompanying video Home Economics with A Stubborn Bloom takes cues from home economics textbooks used in Secondary schools in Singapore in the 1970s and 1980s, when the subject was under much contention.
Conducted in English. Interested participants please register here. After registering, the zoom link will be sent to all registered participants nearer to the event date.