Chou Chou

In Chou Chou, a woman whose head is made of cabbage slowly rocks an absent baby, poorly singing softly a half remembered lullaby in round. The heavily layered video explores the balance between motherhood and life. A French term of endearment that translates to “cabbage cabbage,” “chou chou,” also sounds pleasingly similar to soothing shooshes. As an anti-lactant, cabbage leaves are a home remedy long used during the weaning process and by breastfeeding mothers who must travel without their child to allay the physical pain of separation. These multiple contexts for cabbage intersect to create an apt metaphor for the sometimes-challenging balance of caring for both child and self.