The Mothers/Artists Campaign 2020

Everything a woman of reproductive age makes is seen through this contradictory lens.

There is no such thing as mother art. Yes there is.

Is Motherhood is political?

Yes it is.

Is there any facet of motherhood that it isn’t political?

No, there isn’t.

Read our full Mother Artist Campaign Statement HERE

Follow our campaign on Instagram!

What is our place as mothers/artists in this world?

44.4 Mothers/Artists Collective is a group of ten women artists in Ottawa and the Outaouais. We have critiqued each other’s work, we have supported each other, and we have prodded each other to keep producing during a challenging time for artists everywhere. Find out more about the who, what and why HERE.

The current project, 'Ballot Initiative' is the first installment in The Mothers/Artists Campaign.

Pictured above: Campaign Stop #1, Maman (Mother), Louise Bourgeois, National Gallery of Canada.

Motherhood Is Political.

Power structures and systems dictate the well-being of mothers depending on their demographic status. From big-picture policy and law making to the ever-persistent minutiae of mommy shaming on social media, motherhood is not an even playing field.

Motherhood Is Not Neutral.

At its best, motherhood brings meaning to one’s life. At its worst, it can be punitive, even deadly. Even the decision to participate in parenting is political.

Mother Art Is Political.

If she has children, she can expect feedback on whether to incorporate their needs in her art or rigorously exclude their lives from her practice, and she can expect people not to see this criticism as political.

44.4 Is Political.

44.4 is a group of mother artists, but we do not represent ALL mother artists. Motherhood is a broad, and not always inclusive term, and we want to question the term itself as much as we probe its relationship to art production. We recognize that both parenting and identifying as female are charged acts, and that people’s lived experiences includes an enormous diversity of views, privileges and opportunities. Our goal is start a new conversation, and we welcome all thoughtful reactions and contributions.