This ceramic piece uses the form of clothing size tags to explore the narrative of how society places us into predefined categories, limiting our freedom and individuality. The size tags, typically seen as a mundane part of everyday life, are transformed into a metaphor for the ‘tiny boxes’ that society places us in—defining, restricting, and often confining who we are expected to be.
Each ceramic size tag in this piece represents a different label that society imposes on us: gender, age, career expectations, body image, and many more. While these tags might initially appear diverse, their uniformity in size and shape symbolizes the societal pressure to conform. These tags hang in neat, ordered rows, reflecting the linear paths that society often prescribes for us, leaving little room for deviation or self-discovery.
The ceramic material of the size tags, with its inherent fragility and tendency to crack, speaks to the delicate nature of these imposed identities. The cracks and breaks in some of the tags represent moments of defiance and the human spirit’s desire to resist these imposed limitations. These imperfections are intentional, revealing the flaws in the societal structures that attempt to define us, and suggesting that there is more to each individual than what a simple tag or label can convey.
