NinaJohnson

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“It was as if I woke up one day and suddenly every one of our gallery’s artists had babies or children or grandchildren. Of course, it hadn’t really happened all at once; the sudden change was more about how comfortably many of us in the art world embraced the topic of parenthood. What was once frankly considered a detour from a “serious” art career—in some instances leading to the complete dissolution of careers, or worse, families themselves—was now openly discussed, accepted, and celebrated.

Of course, it hadn’t really happened all at once; the sudden change was more about how comfortably many of us in the art world embraced the topic of parenthood. What was once frankly considered a detour from a “serious” art career—in some instances leading to the complete dissolution of careers, or worse, families themselves—was now openly discussed, accepted, and celebrated. Is there no better example than having placed a major work by Madeline Donahue in the corporate collection of Fidelity Investments? The piece includes images of diapers, snacks, and a little boy peeking his face from behind his mother’s shadow. I can’t actually believe that this happened in my lifetime. But at the same time, we are living in a world where a woman’s right to the autonomy over her own body has vanished, embryos are considered children, and pregnancies are being forced to be carried to term with complete disregard for the health and life of the mother.

It didn’t take much scratching the surface of our past programming to find generations of parents, particularly mothers. Betty Woodman, Nicola L., Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Marlene Bennett Jones, Martine Barrat, Mary Ann Carroll (who mothered seven children, alone)—the list goes on. Every year the Independent falls on Mother’s Day weekend; it’s a conflict for me, as it often means having to spend it away from my own children, although there was a joyous exception to this, when last year my family joined me on Mother’s Day by celebrating Katie Stout with a baby shower for her first child, Olympia.

This year, we are celebrating in a different way, by presenting a range of mothers, many of whom have had, or currently have, a complex relationship to what it means to be a creator and a mother, and many of whom may amplify or complicate our understanding of what a mother is. You may not see what you expect in these works— not everyone is Mary Cassatt, depicting a tender child on a beach. Many are inspired by the mess of motherhood, the complications and joys, the conflicting feelings and sorrow. In many of these works you will find the influence of their power, in the absolute confidence that comes from bringing a human into this world and how that affects the way one might bring an object into it as well.

This is a large and personal selection; it is intended to shine a light on the complexity of what it means to be an artist-mother, what it has meant in the past, and what it can mean going forward.”

-Nina Johnson

Our hope is that our presentation at the Independent this year will highlight the complexities of what it means to be both an artist and a mother. In honor of the caretakers who are currently finding their way down this path, we are delighted to be donating a percentage of our fair profits to the newly formed organization, Artists Mothers. Please know that any acquisitions made during the fair will contribute toward this pledge.

To donate to Artists and Mothers directly, please visit www.artistsandmothers.org/support

About Artists and Mothers

Artists and Mothers is a nonprofit organization with a mission to support emerging and mid-career artists who identify as mothers. Awarded to New York City-based artists with children under the age of three, grantees will receive a grant for nine months of childcare to be used with the provider of their choice.

It has become increasingly prohibitive for artists to balance the demands of raising children, both financially and logistically, while maintaining the space needed to think creatively and remaining committed to their practices. With little to no public options for childcare before the age of three, too often mothers are expected to pause their careers in order to fulfill their obligations as caretakers. Artists and Mothers recognizes the compromises artists are faced with in the early years of parenthood, and seek to provide support at a crucial time in a mother’s personal and professional development.