Balancing Act addresses gender-based inequality through symbolic and physical elements, using familiar objects to confront social realities that are often overlooked or normalized. 

     At the center of the piece is a hand-crafted beaded curtain forming the image of a rose. Traditionally associated with femininity, purity, and societal ideals of women, the rose becomes a layered symbol that is both beautiful and burdened by expectation. The curtain hangs from a custom-built shelf engraved with intricate floral and vine patterns, echoing themes of delicacy. 

     Resting on the shelf is a vintage weighing scale, a symbol of justice and balance. In this work, however, the scale is uneven. One side holds coins and bills, while the other is weighed down by feminine hygiene and care products. This imbalance confronts the “pink tax,” the ongoing reality that women frequently pay more for essential health and hygiene items simply because they are marketed toward them. 

     Through Balancing Act, the work gives form to the everyday inequities women face and challenges the expectation that these injustices be accepted without question. The rose functions as both a marker of strength and resilience and as a critique of the unrealistic standards imposed on women’s bodies and identities.