I Have Everything, I Lack Everything

Photo credits: María Isabel Rueda
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María Isabel Rueda

1999
Analog black and white photograph
40 x 50,4 x 1,5 cm

Kneeling on the floor, scrubbing the tiles, a woman with a phallus between her legs—a traditional symbol of male sexuality—stares directly at the viewer with severity. This self-portrait by María Isabel Rueda questions the role traditionally assigned to women in patriarchal society, where the female body is culturally positioned to perform domestic tasks labelled as “feminine”, and challenges the relationship between men and such activities. The piece invites a reflection on equality, domestic labour, the role of women in society, and the imperative of Article 13 of the Constitution, which prohibits all forms of discrimination based on sex.