My Mother's Daughter

About

Mothers

Mothers. Perhaps one of the most universal and yet one of the most personal concepts in the world. Despite the fact that not everyone has a mother in their life, everyone somehow relates to the theme. 

Over the years, the conception we have of a mother, or of motherhood, has changed dramatically as a result of feminism, psychoanalysts such as Sigmund Freud and various philosophers like Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Hannah Arendt, among others. Whereas the archetypical mother is a nurturing, loving woman, the perception has broadened considerably and 'mother' can be defined in countless ways. 

Mother-child relationship

The moment we are born the relationship with our mother changes, all of a sudden we are no longer physically connected. This changeability continues throughout the rest of our relationship and is characterised by a number of milestones such as birth, childhood, puberty, adulthood, becoming a mother ourselves and death. In some mother-child relationships the phases are not passed through in the usual way or sequence, for example due to the premature death of the mother or child. As a result, not all phases can be completed. The absence of a mother or child leaves only desire, loss and fantasy to imagine for what could have been.

The exhibition presents an ideal image of the mother-child relationship. This relationship is not always just loving, easy or fun. Within the exhibition the role of the mother is questioned and in some cases the mother is even made redundant. Despite all that, the exhibition traces an idealistic life cycle in the mother-child relationship: in its normal order and from the birth of the child to the death of the mother. The viewer can relate to it, compare to it and differentiate themselves from it.  Mother-child relationships are complex and never the same. Therefore, in the exhibition 'My Mother's Daughter' we do not focus on the general concept of 'mother' or 'motherhood' but reflects on the mother through the eyes of the child. 

Mothers in lockdown

The young child is now stuck with his mother for whole days.  The mother who has to take on both the role of mother and teacher, often in addition to obligations from regular life such as work. In contrast, the older child, the one who has already left the nest, has less contact with their mother. In times where loneliness is not uncommon due to the absence of social affairs, we may feel the need for the warm love of friends, our family or mother- or maybe we are just relieved that these 'obligations' are no longer imposed on us for a while?

Exhibition dates: 29.01.2021 - 16.04.2021

Artist: Larissa Esvelt, Lennart Creutzburg, Margriet Luyten, Maria Pask, Pleun van Dijk en Tanja Ritterbex.

Curator: Julia Fidder

Finissage: April 16th, 5:00 PM. A publication will be released on the occasion of the exhibition 'My Mother's Daughter' during the finissage. 

Venue: SEA Foundation, Tivolistraat 22, 5017HP Tilburg

Opening Hours: Thursday - Saturday, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. 

After the end of the lockdown the exhibition will be opened to the public. To visit the exhibition, please make an appointment by sending an email to info@seafoundation.eu. Due to the corona virus there is a maximum of people allowed to visit the opening.

SEA Foundation

SEA Foundation (SEA) is an institution for contemporary fine art, based in Tilburg, with an international approach. SEA focuses on the development of the practice and network of professional artists, curators and writers aged from 25 and over. In the collaboration with these professionals, SEA Foundation acts in service to their practices that are under the radar of institutional and commercial frameworks, where the focus is on creating new content. 

The Foundation is a provider of residencies, as well as a presentation space. However, the residencies are the core activity.  Furthermore, SEA initiates and coordinates a discursive year program, which consists of events like talks, film screenings, book presentations and lectures. SEA Foundation is distinguished by its big international network, homely framing and artists-focused approach.