Artist Statement

For centuries, the idea of how a Mother should be has been determined by societal expectations of what that should look like. These expectations may vary depending on cultural influences, which to a great degree find their roots in mythology. In other words, it is probable that our understanding of the various myths has informed societal expectations from our mothers and mothering. Further, we must consider that the stories we live by have been told from the perspective of men, and interpreted through the lens of patriarchy. If we award more authority and agency to our mothers and daughters, will that change how we look at these roles and our expectations of them? If we change the narrative, perhaps can we reimagine the way we can look at our mothers and how we raise our sons and daughters.

It is my endearing interest to speak for the mother- to allow her the space to be looked at without judgement or expectation. In making these images, I imagine a mother with not just power, but also, authority and agency. I contemplate how mothers have been portrayed in certain myths and popular iconography, with the intention to correlate my experience of mothering with my interpretation of these myths. 

We know of the mother figure painted for us by mythology and clever marketing- she is loving, giving, virtuous. But I want to explore the mother that is in fact a lot more. A powerhouse with the ability to forge life, to curate it, to maintain it, complete with her own aspirations and desires.

In popular Hindu Iconography,  goddess Lakshmi* is depicted as seated by or massaging the feet of a sleeping Lord Vishnu. It is said that Vishnu dreams the unfolding lotus universe, and Lakshmi keeps his dream bright. I wonder what it may look like if there were more feminine centric imagery to tell the myths. Although both male and female are important for procreation, no one gender can claim superiority over the other. In this image, I have placed my hand on my daughter’s foot to signify my foundational place in her life. I use items that imply a masculine presence beside me, but allow the image to draw attention to the role of the feminine. 

*In Hinduism, Lakshmi is the Hindu form of the timeless mother-goddess who nurtures and nourishes all life. She is both the wife and divine energy (Shakti) of the Hindu god Vishnu. It is through her that he preserves the Universe.

This image is inspired by the Greek myth of Demeter and her daughter Persphone, who was taken against her will by Hades and tricked into eating the fruit of the dead. The myth is a testament to the strength and perseverance of a mother who fights relentlessly to get her daughter back, but eventually must settle with having her only half of the year as the fate of the two women is decided by Zeus, Demeter’s husband. If Demeter had the agency, would the conclusion of the myth be different?