Jen Workman
The work is a haunting portrayal of physical examinations, sleep deprivation, the violence of childbirth, postpartum mental health and parental mental load- represented through the use of mixed media ( baby wipes and crockery). I wanted to balance out the viscerally realistic elements of the work with a surreal representation of nature in its most chaotic form, to draw parallels with how parenthood has affected me.
Ultimately I aim to portray the breakdown of identity due to trauma and the calcification of the self due to the heavy weight of parenthood. However - by daring to look back at this experience - my work is also a commentary on transformation & resilience, which may enable those with similar truths to feel validated & less isolated.
(Un)natural Disaster
Mixed media on canvas, 42 x 59.4 cm.
£450
(Un)natural disaster was created as a response to my experience of a traumatic birth with my first child and the impending birth of my second child. The trauma was caused by the destruction of those expectations of childbirth/parenthood and the actual punishing reality of this new identity. I rebel against these changes by being an artist and speaking out about my experiences.
