What is it to be a mother in recent years? Is it to be ignored, a hero, a vessel, a protector, a bump, a body, a life-giver, a worrier or all of the above? This collection of artists in a densely packed show curated by critic, writer and curator Hettie Judah is making its second stop in Birmingham after having been in Bristol, before travelling to Sheffield and Dundee.
Many of the artist mothers in this exhibition can recall being told not to have a baby as it could ruin their career – whether from their art school tutors, fellow artists, family members and/or friends. Yet the process of pregnancy and child rearing has been a source of creation for many of the artists here including Susan Hiller’s photographic series that charts the growth of her bump throughout her pregnancy and Caroline Walker’s painting of drying bottles and pumps providing a snapshot that will be familiar to many parents.
Tabitha Soren’s blurred multiple exposure photographs sum up what it’s like to look after a newborn, Paula Rego’s abortion series is a powerful critique of anti-abortion laws and Barbara Walker’s portraits of her son on the police stop and search dockets he was served with, after being stopped, shows motherhood continues to have its trials even as children grow up.
While it’s an unflinching exhibition with warnings for sensitive visitors it does show positive sides to being a mother such as Hannah Starkey’s photograph of a mother carrying water in a heroic pose and Claudette Johnson’s confident self-portrait that does not shy away from showing her stretch marks.
Other highlights include Hermione Wiltshire and Claire Bottomley’s staged photograph of her mother flanked by two children in a pose based on Mantegna’s painting of a dead Christ that shows the sacrificial nature of motherhood, and Jai Chuhan’s large-scale painting with a naked and exhausted mother taking centre stage.
There’s so much to see across the main space upstairs and the corridor space on the ground floor that repeat visits will allow visitors to discover new works they may have missed the first time. The lived experience of motherhood has often been omitted from art history, but here we see it can inspire and propel forward artists working today as well as all the artists of tomorrow who we wouldn’t have without mothers.
Also on in Birmingham are two impressive exhibitions at Ikon Gallery with a loan of the self-portrait of Artemisia Gentileschi from The National Gallery interacting with the performative work of Jessie Jones and an excellent look at working-class life through the eyes and art of Dion Kitson (pictured above).
Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood is on at Midlands Arts Centre until 29th September, entrance is free.
National Treasures: Artemisia in Birmingham / Jessie Jones: Mirror Martyr Mirror Moon and Dion Kitson: Rue Brittania are both on until 8th September at Ikon Gallery free entry.
Acts of Creation images: courtesy MAC. Photo: Tegen Kimbley. Dion Kitson image courtesy Ikon Gallery. Photo: Tom Bird.
