Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The series of small diptychs ’Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ refers to my grandmother’s waffle iron. Her generation of women typically spent their entire lives in their kitchen—until, during World War II, these housewives were called upon to leave their kitchens in defense of the nation. Entire campaigns encouraged them to take over the factory work left behind by their husbands who had been sent to the battlefield. With a confident “We can do it,” the character Rosie the Riveter—sleeves rolled up, flexed muscle, and a self-assured gaze into the camera—lured over 80% of women into the workforce.
As the end of the war approached, Rosie faced a new challenge: to seduce the industrious women back into their kitchens. Cinemas showed her on the big screen, declaring that she would “naturally and cheerfully” give up her workplace to the men returning from the front. Rosie’s seductive powers remind me of the film *Chitty Chitty Bang Bang* (1968) and the character of The Child Catcher. He drives into the village with his beautiful candy cart, and no child can resist. But when they give in to the colorful treats, the cart transforms into a cage.
After World War II, the entire household interior was given a makeover. Shiny electric appliances and pastel-colored Tupperware were meant to make the magical world of the kitchen irresistible to women once again. Did our grandmothers walk just as unsuspectingly into the chitty/shitty trap?