OMG that boy in the Francis Alys film. I love the ending to that film. I started watching it then wondered what where it was going, like something should be happening. But actually it all just builds up to that ending. Made me smile so much. Thanks for that!
I'm definitely going to look into Mary Kelly's work, it's fascinating! it reminded me of a presentation I went to earlier this year by a psychiatrist, Grace Elliot who had researched women's post-natal experiences. She found that women were really ingenious in using cultural movements to challenge perceptions of motherhood- and I guess Kelly's work really falls into that second wave feminism era (1960-1980), the same era where post-natal and maternal experiences were still stigmatised, it's quite amazing that she produced this art and it's raw content in the way she did - it almost reminds me of Tracey Emin in an unfiltered way, but it feels so much more constructed. The other thing that really struck me here was how 'normalised' a poo diary, and the feelings of being a mum are in modern mumsnet online space parenting! she was absolutely ahead of her time.
But when I read todays post the image I had in my head was Lowry's 'The Playground' it's not a biographical piece of art, but I wonder about the positioning of that larger than life playground Infront of his trademark industrial scene, and against what we know of his own childhood (his mother was manipulative and controlling according to some accounts and childhood friendships were discouraged / or alternative view is that he was autistic and this impacted his childhood and friendships), the centre of the image is dominated by the huge slide - it certainly evokes nostalgia for me. (As an 80's child we had a pre health and safety tall, narrow and dangerous slide in our local park, me and my siblings would hurl ourselves down it!.) I wonder about that painting and its meaning quite a bit, and what it tells us about him and his own childhood. Nostalgia is such a powerful emotion, but where Ringolds nostalgia is warm and autobiographical, lowry's feels more like 'someone else's nostalgia'
The Grace Elliot research sounds interesting Leila, what sort of examples did she give for women using cultural movements to challenge perceptions of motherhood?
It’s a super interesting paper, so she used letters that women wrote who were part of a working co-operate to illustrate the cultural guilt and shame that feelings we now know to be post natal depression are conveyed against a backdrop of campaigning for better conditions, then contrasted with the women’s lib movement in the 60’s where there was this big gap between the experiences of women and motherhood, and the medical professions views (or lack of acknowledgment ) of motherhood leading to stigmatisation- then into the ‘Prozac’ years, where it became more culturally acceptable to discuss post natal depression, in the emerging view that a chemical imbalance was a possible cause - e.g. citing Brook Shields (actress who published a book about her experience).
The paper really highlights (better than I can summarise here!) how women framed their narratives to fit the cultural references of that time, shame, stigma, chemical imbalance - and so I found that art by Kelly to be completely amazing considering post natal experiences were still pretty much stigmatised by society, and ignored by the medical community at that time.
This should be free to access, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.532600/full I don’t have a copy of the presentation she delivered which is a shame because she took us through the papers/periodicals and documents that had been used in the research.
Love all these thoughts Leila. Yes perfect comparison - Mary Kelly was raw like Emin, as well as treading new paths with format, materials and subject matter in this particular artwork. It wouldn't be controversial at all now, she was definitely ahead of her time.
I don't really know Lowry very well, he's one of those artists who I feel like I should know more about so I had to go and look up The Playground. Interesting to look at it with those biographical details about his controlling mother / potential autism - it gives it a whole other layer of meaning.
I was able to go to a few different small Lowry events whilst I lived in Manchester, but the reason I think about The Playground is that there was a print of this painting in a meeting room I sat in every Friday afternoon for a year. At 3pm on a Friday, staring at a painting is much more preferable than listening to colleagues moaning about how bad the week has been 😉.
I'd LOVE to see this exhibition too! I've always, and still, use objects from childhood in my art. I've kept dolls, teddies and weird little creatures I played with and now they form a large part of my portfolio. Lighter works like Faith Ringgold's beautiful roof top quilt appeal to me, resonating that wonderful memory of being in bed whispering and giggling with siblings while hearing parents moving about and talking downstairs. Happiness and security; I was fortunate to have both these things and I know it shows in my work (and possibly why some people think it lacks a bit of depth but you can't please everyone!). And on the subject of hapiness (I have two amazing sisters 💕) so absolutely LOVE Deborah Robert's "Sisterly Love".
I didn't think about your work Jen in terms of its connection to your childhood. I would say that's one of the reasons why it does have depth! I'm linking to your instagram Jen so other subscribers can see and follow you! https://www.instagram.com/jjmay5th/
OMG that boy in the Francis Alys film. I love the ending to that film. I started watching it then wondered what where it was going, like something should be happening. But actually it all just builds up to that ending. Made me smile so much. Thanks for that!
Hi Victoria. This is a great ‘Sunday read’. The context you provide for the shows is really welcome.
Thanks Martin
I'm definitely going to look into Mary Kelly's work, it's fascinating! it reminded me of a presentation I went to earlier this year by a psychiatrist, Grace Elliot who had researched women's post-natal experiences. She found that women were really ingenious in using cultural movements to challenge perceptions of motherhood- and I guess Kelly's work really falls into that second wave feminism era (1960-1980), the same era where post-natal and maternal experiences were still stigmatised, it's quite amazing that she produced this art and it's raw content in the way she did - it almost reminds me of Tracey Emin in an unfiltered way, but it feels so much more constructed. The other thing that really struck me here was how 'normalised' a poo diary, and the feelings of being a mum are in modern mumsnet online space parenting! she was absolutely ahead of her time.
But when I read todays post the image I had in my head was Lowry's 'The Playground' it's not a biographical piece of art, but I wonder about the positioning of that larger than life playground Infront of his trademark industrial scene, and against what we know of his own childhood (his mother was manipulative and controlling according to some accounts and childhood friendships were discouraged / or alternative view is that he was autistic and this impacted his childhood and friendships), the centre of the image is dominated by the huge slide - it certainly evokes nostalgia for me. (As an 80's child we had a pre health and safety tall, narrow and dangerous slide in our local park, me and my siblings would hurl ourselves down it!.) I wonder about that painting and its meaning quite a bit, and what it tells us about him and his own childhood. Nostalgia is such a powerful emotion, but where Ringolds nostalgia is warm and autobiographical, lowry's feels more like 'someone else's nostalgia'
So much to think about in todays post Vic!
The Grace Elliot research sounds interesting Leila, what sort of examples did she give for women using cultural movements to challenge perceptions of motherhood?
It’s a super interesting paper, so she used letters that women wrote who were part of a working co-operate to illustrate the cultural guilt and shame that feelings we now know to be post natal depression are conveyed against a backdrop of campaigning for better conditions, then contrasted with the women’s lib movement in the 60’s where there was this big gap between the experiences of women and motherhood, and the medical professions views (or lack of acknowledgment ) of motherhood leading to stigmatisation- then into the ‘Prozac’ years, where it became more culturally acceptable to discuss post natal depression, in the emerging view that a chemical imbalance was a possible cause - e.g. citing Brook Shields (actress who published a book about her experience).
The paper really highlights (better than I can summarise here!) how women framed their narratives to fit the cultural references of that time, shame, stigma, chemical imbalance - and so I found that art by Kelly to be completely amazing considering post natal experiences were still pretty much stigmatised by society, and ignored by the medical community at that time.
That's really interesting, thanks for the summary. I'd be interested to read that study. Do you have a link to it?
This should be free to access, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.532600/full I don’t have a copy of the presentation she delivered which is a shame because she took us through the papers/periodicals and documents that had been used in the research.
amazing, thank you Leila! Bedtime reading.
Love all these thoughts Leila. Yes perfect comparison - Mary Kelly was raw like Emin, as well as treading new paths with format, materials and subject matter in this particular artwork. It wouldn't be controversial at all now, she was definitely ahead of her time.
I don't really know Lowry very well, he's one of those artists who I feel like I should know more about so I had to go and look up The Playground. Interesting to look at it with those biographical details about his controlling mother / potential autism - it gives it a whole other layer of meaning.
I was able to go to a few different small Lowry events whilst I lived in Manchester, but the reason I think about The Playground is that there was a print of this painting in a meeting room I sat in every Friday afternoon for a year. At 3pm on a Friday, staring at a painting is much more preferable than listening to colleagues moaning about how bad the week has been 😉.
I'd LOVE to see this exhibition too! I've always, and still, use objects from childhood in my art. I've kept dolls, teddies and weird little creatures I played with and now they form a large part of my portfolio. Lighter works like Faith Ringgold's beautiful roof top quilt appeal to me, resonating that wonderful memory of being in bed whispering and giggling with siblings while hearing parents moving about and talking downstairs. Happiness and security; I was fortunate to have both these things and I know it shows in my work (and possibly why some people think it lacks a bit of depth but you can't please everyone!). And on the subject of hapiness (I have two amazing sisters 💕) so absolutely LOVE Deborah Robert's "Sisterly Love".
'Sisterly Love' is so nice isn't it, and it speaks volumes about Deborah Roberts as a person. Here's a link to it - it's the lead image of the exhibition https://www.icaboston.org/exhibitions/begin-again-artists-and-childhood
I didn't think about your work Jen in terms of its connection to your childhood. I would say that's one of the reasons why it does have depth! I'm linking to your instagram Jen so other subscribers can see and follow you! https://www.instagram.com/jjmay5th/
Thanks Victoria 💞
Getting the sense that you're a big cat lover Jen... Love your work, and your feed is full of GORGEOUS images
Thanks so much Helen! Yes, I am a bit of a cat lover 😉
I loved hearing about your use of childhood items in the gallery companion zoom we had Jen ♥️ off to Google Deborah Roberts!
🥰🥰🥰