Ma Gouvernante-My Kindermädchen Essay

Currently, Meret Oppenheim’s 1967 version of Ma Gouvernante - My Nurse - Mein Kindermädchen is owned by the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Switzerland. Described simply, Ma Gouvernante is an assemblage of several found objects. In the piece, a set of white leather heels face downward as they are tightly trussed together by thin piece of rope as they rest on a polished silver serving platter. However, Oppenheim also decided to place a pair of chop frills on the tip of the heels, and they appear to uniformly connect with the rest of the shoe. By her specific selection of materials and their associated connotations, Meret Oppenheim creates a work of art that speaks to the complex problems of female domesticity. Starting with the primary focus of the piece, the pair of shoes contain formal qualities that intentionally relate to meaning Oppenheim establishes about the contradictory expectations set on women. At first glance, the shoes seem to be in pristine condition as the outside leather remains spotlessly white. However, upon further observation, the dusty brown platforms are actually well-worn on both sides. The location of the wear assumes that the previous owner of these
Most strikingly, a set of white chop frills adorn the tip of both heels and the sculptural texture of the cut paper provides emphasis to the bone-like character of the heels. Additionally, a piece of rope criss-crosses the shoes in a manner that resembles the way poultry wings are tied together before cooking. Together, the chop frills, rope, and platter suggest the imagery of a piece of meat getting ready to be eaten at a dinner table. However, because the shoes evoke the presence of a woman, Oppenheim is making a greater statement about the bondage women have to household work such as