The Managed Smile depicts a bound, battered figure lifting her phone and forcing a cheerful expression, embodying the emotional labor historically demanded of women. Bruises and restraints reveal the tension surrounding the historical exploitation of women’s bodies; women were expected to perform care, harmony, and beauty. Sketched-on lips and forced smiles visualize the mandate to soothe and reassure, masking pain with a palatable expression. The work critiques the ongoing pressure on women to regulate emotions and appearances, exposing the unseen labor required to sustain social and aesthetic expectations.