Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and Identity

EXHIBITION NOTES FOR TEACHERS
HOME TRUTHS: PHOTOGRAPHY,
MOTHERHOOD AND IDENTITY.
11 OCTOBER 2013 – 05 JANUARY 2014
“I think I want
audiences to come away
with seeing something
that they haven’t seen
before, or thinking
about motherhood in a
way that they hadn’t
thought about it before”
Susan Bright
Curator
Ana Casas Broda Kinderwunsch from the series Playroom, 2010 © Ana Casas Broda
These exhibition notes give an introduction to the exhibition and suggest points
of discussion and activities.
Please note: This exhibition Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and
Identity contains work of a highly explicit nature. Under 12 not admitted.
Under 16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
We recommend you make a pre-visit before bringing your group to the gallery. !
For more information please
contact: Jai Tyler, Education
and Projects Organiser
jai.tyler@tpg.org.uk
These notes have been written
by Jai Tyler, Education and
Projects Organiser at The
Photographers’ Gallery
At the end of these exhibition notes you can find details of the imagery in
the Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and Identity exhibition.
Jacques Henri Lartigue: Bibi, the other exhibition on show, does not contain
images of a sensitive nature. Admission to both exhibitions at The
Photographers’ Gallery is free.
To book a group visit, tour or workshop please see ‘Group Visits’ on the ‘Visit
Us’ section of our website: thephotographersgallery.org.uk
Contd.
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The companion exhibition
Home Truths: Photography,
Motherhood and Loss is on
show at The Foundling
Museum, 11 October 2013 - 05
January 2014.
foundlingmuseum.org.uk
40 Brunswick Square,
London WC1N 1AZ
+44 (0)20 7841 3600
INTRODUCTION TO THE EXHIBITION AND ARTISTS
This exhibition aims to investigate the complex and demanding experience of
motherhood through the changes that occur to a woman’s identity by becoming
or being a mother and challenge long-held stereotypes and sentimental views
of motherhood. All the artists featured reject, update or subvert stereotypical
representations of the mother and on some level ask an audience to
examine societal expectations and everyday depictions.
Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and Identity questions both the
identity of the mother figure, but also the identity of photography at a time
when the expectations and demands of both are in flux, and both subject and
medium grapple for new meaning.
The companion exhibition Home Truths: Photography, Motherhood and Loss
is on show at The Foundling Museum.
Home Truths is curated by Susan Bright.
Video interviews with the curator of the exhibition and a selection of the artists
can be found on The Photographers’ Gallery Vimeo site.
The exhibition at The Photographers’ Gallery begins on the Fourth floor and
continues on the Fifth floor.
The eight artists and projects taking part in the exhibition are:
FOURTH FLOOR
Elinor Carucci, Feeding Emanuelle From a Plastic Bottle after I Stopped Breast-feeding Her, 2005
In Elinor Carucci’s (b. 1971, Israel) series Mother (2004-2013) we see the
artist, known for her intimate portraits of her family, extend her practice by
working with her children. Through her photographs Carucci expresses her
fears of motherhood – that it would result in the loss of her creativity and sense
of identity. What she discovered however, were new layers of depth and
intensity within herself and her work. Carucci confronts viewers with candid
depictions of motherhood - from her changing body to moments of annoyance,
frustration and exhaustion but also those of great joy and tenderness.
Contd.
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Janine Antoni, Lattice, 2009
Janine Antoni (b. 1964, Bahamas) has, for many years, explored the role of
mothering through her relationship with her own mother and subsequently her
daughter. In Inhabit (2009) we see Antoni suspended in mid-air wearing a
dress designed as a house. The photograph is part of a performance piece in
which, over the course of five hours, a spider slowly begins to weave its web
inside the rooms of the house. The spider stands for Antoni’s daughter while
she is the supporting structure it needs for its web. Inhabit, and other images
in the series, reflect on the complex role of the mother requiring her to be
flexible yet reassuringly constant, a dominating presence but one that is able to
provide for the space needed for her child to grow.
Leigh Ledare, Tina Reflecting, 2003
Leigh Ledare’s (b. 1976, USA) project Pretend You’re Actually Alive (2002 2008) is largely comprised of photographs of his mother, Tina Peterson,
interspersed with ephemera. Once a ballerina and model, Peterson later
worked in amateur pornography. Her sexually aggressive behavior, combined
with her fragile psyche, was the catalyst for collaboration between her and
Ledare. The work results in a safe environment in which they are able to
explore slippages of Peterson’s identity as well as confound and question
conventional boundaries, ethical lines and taboos associated with mother/son
relationships. It is a complex investigation into authorship, subjectivity,
performance and portraiture, which acutely undermines stereotypical attitudes
towards the mother figure.
Contd.
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Elina Brotherus, Annunciation, 2009
In her series the Annunciation Elina Brotherus (b. 1972, Finland) records
herself through years of failed IVF treatments. Full of art historical references,
Brotherus’ images stand in sharp contrast to the traditional scenes and
symbolism of Annunciation paintings. While the Virgin Mary receives the news
that she is to give birth to the Son of God, Brotherus pictures herself month
after month in front of a succession of negative pregnancy tests. Feelings of
elation and abundance are replaced with those of sorrow and loss. Brotherus’
photographs question the term ‘mother’, suggesting that it can stem from
intention rather than being bound to biology or the physical act of having a
child.
Contd.
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FIFTH FLOOR
Fred Hu!ning, Untitled (Lake), 2011
Fred Hüning’s (b. 1966 Germany) work is comprised of a diaristic trilogy of
books, Einer (2010), Zwei (2011) and Drei (2011). Starting in 2005, the books
document, in a non-linear way, Hüning and his wife’s journey of love and loss
as reflected in everyday moments alongside extraordinary and tragic family
events. Einer tells the story of the birth and death of their first child and the
struggle which followed as they try and cope with their loss. Zwei shows the
couple’s healing process as they attempt to rebuild their relationship and
Hüning’s wife discovers she is pregnant again. Drei is a celebration of life and
love as the family is made whole again by the arrival of their second son.
Katie Murray, Still from Gazelle, 2012
Katie Murray’s (b.1974, USA) video performance Gazelle showcases the
artist as she tests her limits of endurance during a workout session. Following
the birth of her second child Murray attempted to lose weight by using the
Gazelle – Total Body Workout Exercise Machine. Frustrated by her family’s
constant interruptions she began exercising with her two children strapped to
her back and front. Serving as a running commentary is the voice of Tony Little,
“America’s Personal Trainer”, blaring out sexist motivational clichés. The video
is intercepted with nature footage of a mother gazelle suckling her young and
escaping an attack by a pair of young cheetah cubs. Murray’s piece is a
metaphor for her failed attempts at balancing the demands of a wife, mother
and artist all at the same time.
Contd.
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Hannah Putz, Untitled (Nave 1), 2012
Hanna Putz’s (b. 1987, Austria) photographs raise questions about today’s
excess of images and the need to perform for the camera in an age of social
networking and permanent surveillance. By photographing young mothers and
their babies she aims to create a feeling of intimacy and closeness, but without
exposing anyone. The mother, solely focused on her child, is oblivious to the
camera’s presence and unconcerned about ‘posing’ for it. Composition and
colour are of great importance to Putz, adding a layer of anonymity to her
subjects by transforming them into sculptural forms.
Ana Casas Broda, from the series Playroom, 2010
Ana Casas Broda’s (b. 1965, Spain) desire to have children was intense. She
spent five years in fertility treatments before she was able to conceive her first
son. With the birth of her second son she began exploring motherhood through
photography and writing. For Casas Broda having children triggered memories
and fears from her own childhood, which exacerbated her post-natal
depression. Using photography as a form of therapy, she was able to work
through these dark periods and come to terms with her past. Titled
Kinderwunsch (2006 - 2013), the series focuses on Casas Broda’s games with
her sons, depicting a series of complex interactions between the childrens’
developing identities and her own profound transformations.
Contd.
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DISCUSSION POINTS FOR YOUR VISIT
Fred Hu!ning, Untitled (2 photographers), 2008
The work on show in this exhibition aims to challenge long-held stereotypes
and sentimental views of motherhood depicted through photography.
Before going into the exhibition ask your group:
!
!
!
Based on the title of this exhibition, Home Truths: Photography,
Motherhood and Identity, what images would you expect to see in the
exhibition? Why?
What is the first word or image that comes to mind when you think of the
word Motherhood? Discuss these words. Are they based on stereotypes of
motherhood, on their own experiences, or something else?
What challenges do people face in planning for or having children?
While looking at the exhibition ask your group:
!
!
!
!
What are the words that come to mind when you look at the work in this
exhibition?
Has looking at the exhibition changed their thoughts on Motherhood?
How are these ideas or words different to those discussed prior to viewing
the exhibition?
Were the images on display what they expected? What was expected, what
was not?
In the exhibition some artists photograph staged scenarios, some capture
candid moments and others mix styles – photographing seemingly natural
moments but using artificial light. As a group discuss:
!
!
How does the style of the photograph change the way you think about the
subject?
Why do you think the artists chose to photograph or film in the way they
did?
Discuss what the characteristics of a stereotypical mother in advertising is.
! How does this differ from the mothers portrayed in this exhibition?
! How are fathers depicted in advertising? After viewing this exhibition, how
do you think they could be depicted differently?
Contd.
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POST VISIT ACTIVITIES
Janine Antoni, Inhabit, 2009
Ask your group to imagine that they will be photographing their own mother or
a friend’s mother.
!
!
!
!
!
What 5 scenarios they would they want to devise and use to represent that
mother?
Where would they want to take these photographs? In a home setting, in a
studio, outdoors?
How could motherhood be portrayed without showing people?
Thinking back to the different styles of the artists in the Home Truths
exhibition, what style would they choose to photograph in? Why would they
choose this style?
Would there be particular emotions they would want to convey? If so, how
might they photograph this without showing the subjects face?
Now ask your group to imagine that they would be photographing a celebrity
mother. Consider these same questions. Would these photographs be different?
Why?
Set your group a project where half of them photograph their own mother,
father, close relative or carer, and the other half photograph someone else’s
mother, father or carer. Can they tell who knew the person well and who
didn’t? Why? How?
Contd.
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VISITOR INFORMATION
ADMISSION FREE
GROUP VISITS
To book a group visit, tour or
workshop please see ‘Group
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Monday – Saturday 10.00 – 18.00 Visits’ on the ‘Visit Us’ section of
our website.
Thursday 10.00 – 20.00
Sunday 11.30 – 18.00
THE CAFÉ IS OPEN
Monday – Friday 9.00 – 18.00
Thursday 9.00 – 20.00
Saturday 10.00 – 18.00
Sunday 11.30 – 18.00
CONTACT US
+44 (0)20 7087 9300
info@tpg.org.uk
thephotographersgallery.org.uk
16 – 18 Ramillies Street,
London W1F 7LW
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