Maternity Leave, 2024

Sound installation

Maternity Leave was created in order to demonstrate to society how much work and responsibility motherhood is, and how difficult the period called “leave” is. About three years of leave is given to a woman after the birth of her child, so that she can rest and take care of her child. Even if every woman does not take three years of leave, she has to say goodbye to her professional life for a while. This is a factor that can be a big blow to her career. Actually, if we look at the meaning of the word “leave”, or “məzuniyyət”*, it means “rest”. But this so-called “rest” part is actually a 24/7 schedule that requires a lot of patience, perseverance and strength because a woman who stays at home does housework in addition to child care. Therefore, the society “at home

I urge you to stop belittling women by saying “you are sitting”, “you are not working, you are having fun” and not to hesitate to ask someone for help with housework or child care if necessary. I became a mother one year ago and chose not to return to my working life temporarily. As I spent more of this last year at home, I wanted to capture the sounds around me, because these sounds are changing and growing so fast.

The audio includes both my daughter’s voice (eating, laughing, crying, toys she uses, first words, etc.) and the sounds of the appliances I use in my household (kettle, washing machine, gas stove, etc.). Sounds and voices blend into each other on a daily basis and can be loud and annoying enough to disturb a person, but this is the reality. Even if you close your eyes, you can imagine a mother/woman feeling sleepless, tired, lonely and in the dark.

*məzuniyyət – (noun, a word of Arabic origin) – Rest, treatment, etc. for a working person, a certain time given for

Epilogue

It’s OK to miss your life before becoming a mom.

It’s OK to leave your baby with dad.

It’s OK to leave your baby with nanny/grandpa/kindergarten.

It’s OK to feel “not enough”.

It’s OK to feel “guilty” towards your baby.

It’s OK to ask for help.

It’s OK to feel postpartum depression.

It’s OK to be lazy and do nothing.

It’s OK to cry.

It’s OK to say No.