XiuXiu Ning

Disobedient Links critiques how patriarchal societies exploit women’s biological traits (specifically the womb) as a means to restrict their labour, framing childbirth and caregiving as their ‘natural’ roles. Drawing from Maria Mies’ (1986) critique of this constraint on women, I propose an “anti-naturalist” perspective in my design approach, advocating for women’s right to disobey these imposed functions.

The project is rooted in the observation of my family structure, where generations of women— my mother and grandmother—dedicated themselves to caregiving roles, losing their sense of self. In response, I have made a collection of brushes and chains – broken, knotted and deliberately defiant – to challenge domestic and social constraints. These artefacts are not bound by conventional functionality; instead, they symbolize disobedience and resistance.

Crafted from maple and wenge wood, horsehair, and human hair contributed by my mother, my friends, and myself, these materials carry DNA and individual identity into the objects. I employ brush assembly techniques to integrate the hair and use CNC and laser cutting to shape the wood. My process combines handcraft and machine work, merging hard and soft materials. Together, these artefacts present a tactile landscape of disobedience against the naturalised roles imposed on women.