AIBILEEN’S HOME
Aibileen has lived in this house on Gessum Avenue since the 1930s, so I wanted to set her up in a house from the turn of the 20th century. Her son Treelore died a few years ago and she doesn't have a husband, so she lives by herself.
At that time, segregated neighbourhoods for black people were something common and I wanted her house to be her temple and space of peace that she takes care of. I wanted also to create an atmosphere that although small, portrays the warmth of her character and that mothers and homemade stuff make us feel.
Her living room and kitchen were once her private and personal spaces but have now transformed into the centre of the nighttime meetings, where the maids share stories with Skeeter, shaping the book 'The Help'.
THE HELP
"The Help" is a novel set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, where racial tensions divide society.
The story revolves around three women: Skeeter, a young white journalist, and Aibileen and Minny, two African-American maids. Skeeter, driven by a desire for change, decides to collect and anonymously publish the maids' life stories, exposing the harsh realities of racial discrimination and the complexities of their relationships with white families. As their project takes shape, it challenges the status quo, igniting conversations and transforming lives in the process.
Through the vivid narratives of Aibileen, Minny, and others, "The Help" uncovers the hardships, limited opportunities, and constant fear experienced by the maids. The novel explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the power of raising one's voice against injustice.
Through my project, I wanted to depict the stark contrast between the maids' lives and those of their employers, shaping the spaces that define their everyday reality and manners.