Jakovleva 8493227 MA Arts and Society Thesis Cyborg Motherhood: Exploring Invisible Care Work and Breastfeeding Stigma in Untitled (Feeding Through Space and Time) by Ani Liu

Abstract

This thesis examines how the technoscientific installation Untitled (Feeding Through Space and Time) by Ani Liu utilises Donna Haraway’s concept of the cyborg to communicate to audiences the issues of invisible care work and the stigma surrounding breastfeeding during the early months of motherhood. The research is guided by feminist scholarship focused on the phenomenon of the ‘technicization of mothering’ and the complexities of women’s relationship with technology. One of the more techno-positive feminist scholars Donna Haraway and her concept of the cyborg is examined in more detail as well as the debates surrounding breastfeeding in the context of modern feminism in the United States and consequently the phenomenon of lactivism. Through situational analysis and the methodology of the dramaturgical triad, this thesis examines the compositional elements of Liu’s work and their ability to foster a strong spectatorial response from viewers as well as encourage reflection on the complexities of breastfeeding and the invisible care work. Additionally, it considers the broader sociopolitical context of the current policies in the United States influencing both the artist and the audience. By analysing the intersections of art, technology, and motherhood, this research aims to provide a nuanced understanding of how contemporary reproductive labour is depicted in art in the United States and how these representations can influence the spectator’s perception of the current sociopolitical discourse and their relationship with technology.