Today the mother is tied up in myth and mystery. If we are to understand who we are then we must look at our mothers’, and at our mothers’ mother’s. For centuries, mythology and folklore across different cultures have either idealised or demonised women as Goddesses, warriors, clairvoyants, monsters or witches. Whether revered as magical or dreaded as monstrous, representations of motherhood are steeped in expectation and preconceived ideas. We are mythical mothers yet our bodies and identities are still determined and shaped by predominant cultural expectations. What influence have these narratives had on modern mothers? As we lay our heads on the pillow and start dreaming, do we feel empowered? What does motherhood look like for us, and for others? Mythical Mother presents work by nine international artists who grapple with these very questions. The exhibition challenges us to look through and beyond the dominant myths and toward a multifaceted mother whose truth and vulnerability provides a space to reclaim the value of mothering.
Artists
