Motherline
The thread that holds us
I've been commissioned by the Motherline Project funded by Arts Council England. I am creating a photographic artwork that explores the idea of motherlines: the threads of inheritance, memory, and care passed down through generations of women. This is a community focused project with you, my neighbours as the subjects. It will celebrate the women, mothers, and ancestors in our lives by creating cyanotype prints (a kind of blue photographic print as seen above) on fabric. You are invited to contribute something that represents your motherline. Examples are not limited to but include:
- small symbolic object
- a piece of fabric
- a flower
- a poem
- a recipe
- a song
- a saying
- a memory written down
The finished pieces will be pegged to a washing line, echoing the lines we already share across our yards; a portrait of our collective inheritance. We'll make an audio recording of the story behind the print and why it's important to your motherline so that viewers can listen to this as they look at the pieces.
The project will be exhibited in a collective Motherline exhibition at HOME Manchester Arches on Saturday 13th December, which you are invited to attend. I’d love for you to take part so we can create a collective artwork that reflects the diversity, stories, and connections of our community.
Please note, your 'motherline' does not have to be blood relations, it can be anyone who has been significant in your life.