ANG XIA YI
WHO IS SHE?
WHO IS SHE? looks to unearth stories of working-class women in the Malaysian workforce. The series was inspired by the women that have always worn the pants in Xia Yi's family. Growing up in a culture that places family first has always made Xia Yi question the what, how and why's of family commitment which impacts working-class women in Malaysia. Living in a household that is predominantly female has allowed her to witness first hand and experience their contrasting livelihoods up-close.
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This series also hopes to be a visual form of acknowledgement and appreciation to the everyday women figures that Xia Yi have encountered daily. The portrayal of women in these photographs depicts the multifaceted aspects of different types of women through their race, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientations, age, body types and even geographical locations.
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During the process of creating this series, one of the women fleetingly compared the ‘ weight of flowers ‘ to the equally strenuous burden that a woman bears on her shoulders every day. The reality of an everyday working woman will never truly be as safe and undemanding as what is depicted in the photographs. The unintentional rationalising has somewhat helped form a rather self-reflective series, allowing her to unravel the ugly realities of these graceful women.