Culture is a way of demonstrating customs and values. Through it, humans seek the space and liberty to express themselves. It gives each of us a feeling of belonging and identity. All forms of expression can take us to our past, allow us to remember our ancestry and tell us their story, our story.
Annu Palakunnathu Matthew does an amazing job trying to address her experience and exposure to different cultures. Her art relates to political, social and transformative issues; in England (where she was born), India (where she grew up), and the United States (where she currently resides), Annu developed her form of art. Her work displays a “parallel reality, their identities and histories”, of each of the three countries she had lived in; showcasing past and present, revealing the underlying connection between the two. One of her works, Bollywood Satirized , “What Will People Think?” focuses on differences in gender and cultural stereotypes in India. However, it can be applied to cultures in other countries as well, such as South American countries.
One of Annu’s digital portfolios has an image that states this message, “Yeah, I’ll lie down and enjoy it, they’ll call you experienced and me a SLUT!” which hits home hard. I was born in The United States, but grew up in Colombia. In Colombia our society teaches us to be male chauvinist, and it is very sad. There are social norms that from a woman’s point of view cannot be ignored. If a woman is unfaithful to her boyfriend she would automatically be called a slut and will be considered worthless. On the other hand, if the man cheats, he is treated as a champion, The Man, and adding to that the society will say it was the women’s fault, that she did not provide everything (attention) her man needed. These gender differences treat women unfairly.