Being a mother and being an artist

I am so glad I found the following article while searching the internet about artists exploring relationships and identity in their work!

https://brooklynrail.org/2008/12/artseen/neo-maternalism-contemporary-artists-approach-to-motherhood

The author discusses how for many years being an artist was perceived so consuming that couldn’t coexist with parenting especially for mothers. During the feminism women gained the opportunities to exhibit their work. Despite they recognized how motherhood could positively inform their work in an aspect that was not represented respectively in art, however their political awakening and sense of freedom in many cases lead them to the decision of not having children in order to avoid bourgeois conformity.

It is also mentioned how with the passing of time and the cultural changes that followed artists are now more open to have children.

She refers to how contemporary artists “...in fiercely honest work, apprehend the entire messy process of creation, birth, and childrearing as raw material for their art practice. ” and she gives the example of Mary Kelly’s seminal 139-piece Post-Partum Document. 

In the authors words “Raising a family and making art can, in fact, become one seamless activity.”

This is relevant to my parallel project and I have already repeatedly been thinking up to what point do I want to ”invite” my family to my art. My art is for me my sanctuary, a place to escape , to be alone. However, even when I am alone I carry ”my others” in me. Through our relationship, through their impact on me and my identities, which one of them is my artistic identity that cannot be separated from my unity, they are always present.

I am also thinking that the mother identity is part of us and as such could be in our art. It is no less important than any other art theme that could be explored by any artist of any gender. It is not only ”woman” art in a way of separating man and woman art. It is an aspect that shouldn’t be missing from the art as well as fatherhood could be explored artistically by male artists.

Project 2: Interacting with the environment, Part 4

Aim: Create site-specific artwork, so that it conveys to the viewer the actual experience of the artist while interacting with the environment for the creation of the artwork.

Method:  Make five drawn interactions in the environment using only found objects or media and your body. Consider how a viewer would be affected by the artwork and what interactions might occur. Record the work with a camera.

Prospective:

1)Put mirrors in some places e.g. hang small mirrors on a tree. In this way this project would relate to my parallel project. Me and the kids could play with our reflections. Take photographs and video recordings of the act and explore ways to include this in my relationships and identities parallel project.

2)Interwoven twigs.

3)Scrape chalk, soft pastels or charcoal on plants or on the ground.

4)Use twigs and draw on the ground. The kids could also take part. We might make blind drawings of each other on the ground.

5)Ask the children to lie down on the  ground and outline their figures with a twig. Then I could add flowers, leaves or other staff to make narrative ”portraits”. I could ask them to do the same with my figure.

Reality:

It proves so difficult to find the proper situation to make the project with the kids. Even though we spend so much time together I realize how much our time is preoccupied with liabilities that prevent us from being able to do anything else that is not in the regular program. Yes! The only time I have to work is the time that the kids are at school. Despite that my projects, that I find a way to relate to the parallel project, include cooperation with the  kids it seems that even the time I spend with them doesn’t have a gap so that we could devote some time for the project together.

Finally we managed to get together a Saturday morning, but once again we had to rush because we had a last minute invitation to a birthday party!

Anyway, despite the wind we went to our so called ”hippy corner” in our yard. Our ”hippy corner” named that way by me, is a fenced area with a hammock, bench and table with chairs under the trees. In these place we relax, we eat or take refreshments together or each one alone. It is a place we share. I explained to the kids that we would be making art using elements of the natural environment. I also allowed the use of some materials that I already used in the parallel project, which are mirror and soft pastels. I suggested to Marialeni (my 6 year old daughter) that she could braid the twigs of the tree like she braids her hair, which is a newly acquired  skill of her. She loved the idea.

She used her rubber bands to secure the braids.

I asked George (my 9 year old son) to use twigs to create a structure of his choice. He likes creating structures using anything he can find handy. He found it difficult and he got frustrated because he couldn’t control the structure the way he wanted.

Meanwhile, I placed some mirrors on a the tree trunks. Then I asked the kids to also place some mirrors on the trunks at their own height. It was very enjoyable for all of us. The placement of the mirrors made us interact with the installation and between each other. It was a playful experience and playing all together is actually something that is missing from our relationship.

I always had difficulty on seeing our resemblance that many people noted. I am surprised to see on their little fragmented mirror reflections how much they look like me. Yes, I can see myself in them!

Then I suggested that they lie down on the ground and I would trace their figure outline. Marialeni accepted. George would record and take photographs.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=zVLyCD-C8cM

Maybe this would work better on a different ground, since it was difficult to make the tracing and the figure is not very visible. Maybe we could use little twigs or stones to define the outline.

Then I suggested that we could use soft pastels to add colour on what we did already. They chose their own colours. I think they enjoyed this part the most.

George showed me how his palms were covered with colour and I urged him to create prints of his palms anywhere he wanted. Me and Marialeni followed his example.

During this my husband was around adding his comments and ”laughing” at us. He commented how being an artist makes me different from the other mothers of our environment! However he didn’t want to actively participate. This reflects his position in our relationship. He is not with us with his natural presence most of the time because he is working many hours. However he is constantly with us morally and he participates in our experiences while listening to our narratives.

Reflection:

For me and my family that participated in this interaction with the environment, the experience and the visual outcome is perceived as art. Also, other people who know my endevour with art would consider this as art. However, I suppose that other people with no artistic background might interpret this installation as decoration of the area. Not many would be able to read the artistic meanings. this is related to the traditional expectations that you find art in galleries, or at least you view an ”object” as art only when it is titled as such.