Long taboo, lived experience of motherhood—and all that accompanies it—has become the subject of urgent discussions within the art world. Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood proposes the artist mother as an important cultural figure, though one long overlooked. Modern and contemporary artists such as Berthe Morisot, Barbara Hepworth, Jenny Saville, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Betye Saar, Suzanne Valadon, Louise Bourgeois, Carrie Mae Weems, and many others, address motherhood as a creative enterprise, albeit one tempered variously by ambivalence, exhaustion, and grief. Renowned author and critic Hettie Judah also addresses the conventions and expectations of motherhood through the lens of queer theory, environmental anxiety, and alternative family models. Acts of Creation reflects on the work of a new generation of artists examining the meaning of maternity and the ongoing struggles surrounding reproductive rights. From ancient goddess artifacts to contemporary interpretations of pregnancy in popular culture, this captivating, accessible, and well-illustrated narrative challenges perceptions and illuminates the complexities of motherhood in our ever-changing world.
Reviews
Acts of Creation contains analysis and contextualization of a variety of well-known examples of artists' works whose subject matter engage the theme of motherhood. This includes the depiction of mother and child through time in art, the politicization of childbearing, and the myth of the mother and child as archetype across art history dating as far back as 6000 BC … A complicated and complex artistic feminist perspective on a much ignored subject in art and the history of labor.
— Choice
An essential art history… This exceptional book reframes motherhood as an important position from which to make and understand art… It's inspiring to read along as [Hettie Judah] tackles the long overlooked cultural figure of the artist-mother with gravitas… There's plenty to discover no matter your familiarity with art, feminism or motherhood.
— BookPage (starred review)
A remarkable book… there is much that is new and much to explore afresh.
— Literary Review
An eye-opening tour de force that challenges readers to consider what hangs in museums and what vanishes in the act of being born … With a keen curatorial eye, [Hettie Judah] has assembled an eclectic and expansive collection, from conceptions of the divine as goddess, saint, icon, nymph, and monster carved in bone and stone, to acts of motherhood reflected in paintings, drawings, prints, photography, and multimedia … It’s a fresh approach to untangling some common misconceptions in the long history of art when it comes to mothers and motherhood while offering new ways of looking. It’s also satisfying as women artists take up more of the museum space as we move towards the present day … Through the wide scope and sweep of Judah’s deep analysis and commentary, readers will come away with a broader understanding and appreciation for the challenges and accomplishments of the mother-artist as cultural icon, as well as being introduced to new artists and work … A thrilling ride.
— MER - Mom Egg Review
Some of our most ancient art works depicted motherhood, and the subject of Madonna and child was a Renaissance favorite. In the 20th and 21st centuries, female artists pondered their own complex feelings—and it’s not always pretty, as this provocative volume attests.
— The Boston Globe, Holiday Gift Guide 2024
Weaving rigorous research with around 150 images, Judah brings her characteristic precision to a subject that has only recently been given its due.
— Hyperallergic
Contributors
Hettie Judah
Author
Hettie Judah is one of Britain’s leading writers on art and a sought-after public speaker. She writes regularly for The Guardian, Vogue, Frieze, The i, and Apollo, and is the author of several art books that include Art London, Frida Kahlo, Lapidarium: The Secret Lives of Stones, and How Not to Exclude Artist Mothers (and Other Parents). She lives in London.
Brian Cass
Foreword By
