The world of Glass is sterile and hyper-formal: white pantsuits, hoop skirts over skin colored bodysuits, muted browns and greys, and white walls. The movement lexicon is pattern oriented, subtle, and tightly framed. Against this aesthetic backdrop, women try on “power poses” that are meant to build confidence and claim to boost testosterone levels. However, when put on female bodies in this environment, they become distorted — in this context, one could accuse her of being “a bit too much.” In response, the collective group tries on smaller, subtler, shyer poses and movements, eventually convincing the women around them to fall in line. Rebellions and deviations are harshly judged by the group. Status is tantamount, and conformity is the key.

Nail painting is used as a recognizable cultural artifact in the films and the centerpiece of the interactive performance. This interaction signifies a reclamation of physical appearance, a way for women to feel empowered and powerful, and balances it with the awareness that this beauty practice was constructed by and for men. It also has a physical effect — in the immediate aftermath of nail painting, you cannot use your hands, and are forced to take on a daintier approach to moving through the world.

As these images, sounds and interactions swirl together in the installation, Glass orbits the central question: How can women reclaim the visual and social politics of femininity while working to overcome their own internalized misogyny — instead of perpetuating the very problem they wish to resolve?