Anxious Homes (2009)

    Research output: Non-textual formExhibition

    Abstract

    Anxious Homes, is the antidote to all the 'Life Instructions' that surround us. Far from being outraged at the patronising tone of 'How to do it' books, I have always found them funny. This book provides a step-by-step guide of how to appear like you're doing everything properly. It contains explanations in detail of how-to-get-away-with-it. It is a manual for people with better things to worry about than housework. There are sections on; anxiety and the home; nearly cleaning floors; the bathroom and kitchen; washing clothes; dealing with emergency visitors; and a chart of serenity and anxiety. Anxious Homes seeks to take away the homemaker's feeling of inadequacy by promoting shortcuts as if they are perfectly normal. Anxious Homes was inspired by my childhood experience. As a 10 year old, I remember being amazed at how my mother used to frantically tidy the house before visitors arrived. When I asked her what was wrong with letting our relatives see us how we usually lived, she was horrified at the idea. When I started living in my own home I noticed I had inherited 'pretending to be tidy' from my mother. When my parents (or especially parents-in-law) visit I rush round picking piles of papers off the floor and making sure the bathroom taps are shiny. Cleaning-up thoroughly is a long job and despite my collection of Good Housekeeping Manuals there's just not enough time to be the ideal woman, when you have two jobs and a freelance career. So I created Anxious Homes for the busy woman. Exhibited at Compilation: Three Exhibitions on Books, Worcester, MA, USA: Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery, Jan-Mar 2009.
    Original languageEnglish
    Publication statusPublished - 2009
    EventCompilation: Three Exhibitions on Books - Worcester, MA, US, Gerald and Iris Cantor Gallery
    Duration: 1 Jan 20091 Mar 2009

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    • The mean bone

      Batey, J., 1 Apr 2017

      Research output: Non-textual formArtefact

      Open Access
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