Shweta Bist

I make pictures about how it feels like to be a woman and a mother. My work is performative in nature, taking the form of staged scenes that feature me, my children, or all three of us as subjects. These compositions are guided by the dynamics of our evolving relationship and influenced by my past experiences of disempowerment as a young girl in a patriarchal society, as well as the social context of our contemporary lives. Drawing from my interests in psychology, philosophy, and art history, I construct images using metaphors of color and symbolism.
In Sh!t I Do, I combine staged pictures from my home with layers of digital drawings and renderings of demonetized Indian Rupees.* The composited images play with plastic space, using humor to draw attention to the complexities of mothering in a society where power equates to capital and care work is often invisible. Some objects in these scenes are modern necessities, while others reference a bi-cultural home. Drawing inspiration from Sara Ruddick’s “Maternal Thinking (1989)”, which explores how mothering practices are shaped by the environment, the ongoing project prompts viewers to consider the value of motherwork and how its non-recognition may undermine self-worth. Ultimately, I aim to contribute to a broader narrative about the lives of women and their children, while subverting cultural stereotypes of mothering as eternally joyous, fulfilling, and instinctual.

*India's 2016 demonetization of ₹500 and ₹1,000 bills disproportionately impacted women, especially those lacking financial autonomy and relying on cash savings.