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A little crevice filled with a pool of stories that range from being sexualized, neglected, or fuelled with cosmic power. What is the true form of the Bellybutton? “Anything but a hole”, provides the Bellybutton a platform to express its journey and explore the different identities it holds.
Lean in and feel the power of your Bellybutton
The bellybutton is something we all share regardless of gender, however, in India the navel is seen as a sexualised object on women and has major social implications on how a woman is treated. In our patriarchal system, there is a sense of control over women's bodies and how we show our bellybutton. Growing up in this system, I have become highly aware of how people perceive my navel and am very scared/ashamed of showing it. However, I realised that people in western countries do not think about their navel at all.
“Anything but a Hole” Explores the duality of the navel and shares its stories through five soft sculptures. The audio is paired with a haptic belt which is connected to the viewer's navel as well. This tactile storytelling helps us to feel the bellybutton as our sixth sense which is located behind the navel. The vibration in the navel resonates throughout the body and stays beyond the installation, fulfilling the main goal of the work; to understand body politics and sexualization of women in India by the bellybutton and understanding the importance of one’s own bellybutton by bringing intention and attention to it.
