Long taboo, the realities of motherhood -- and all that accompanies it -- are now the subject of urgent discussion. Acts of Creation reflects on the joys and heartaches, mess, myths, and mishaps of motherhood through over 150 artworks, from ancient goddess artifacts to contemporary interpretations of pregnancy. While the Madonna and Child archetype has dominated Western art, we rarely encounter art about real motherhood, in all its raw, unfiltered complexity. Renowned author and critic Hettie Judah examines how shifting ideals of motherhood have been constructed and promoted through visual culture, and how women artists in the 20th and 21st centuries such as Carrie Mae Weems, Louise Bourgeois, Betye Saar, Susan Valadon, Jenny Saville, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Barbara Hepworth, and many others have subverted them and reclaimed the narrative. Women have long been told that they cannot be both an artist and a mother: Judah argues the artist mother warrants consideration, even celebration as, a cultural icon. Acts of Creation explores the lived experience of motherhood -- and of not becoming a mother -- offering a complex account that engages with ongoing debates around gender, caregiving, and reproductive rights. Engaging, thought-provoking, and richly illustrated, Acts of Creation brings questions of cultural representation and creative power into the evolving discourse around feminism and motherhood, challenging convention and inspiring change.
