Eight Cubic Meters by Hannah Kindler and Milena Naef
When: 8 August 2024 - 4 September 2024
Finissage: Thursday 5 September 17.00h
Where: Eight Cubic Meters, Sint Nicolaasstraat, Amsterdam
Myths of Mothers and Other Monsters II, Second Iteration
The exhibition “Myths of Mothers and Other Monsters” showcases explorations around motherhood* by artists Hannah Kindler and Milena Naef. Although care work and motherhood* are the foundation of every society, they are surrounded by persistent stereotypes, norms, and taboos. Particularly for artists, motherhood* is still considered a breach of taboo, as the myth of the male artist-genius, who creates in the quiet absence of children, runs deep. Between the image of the self-sacrificing “Mother Mary” and the cold-hearted "working mom," a tension arises that calls for a reexamination and deconstruction of such divisive and oppressive societal narratives.
The word “monster,” included in the exhibition title, is derived from the Latin word monstrare and means to show. Following this notion with an emancipatory agenda, the figure of the monster becomes one that reveals everything emerging at the fringes of social norms, making lived realities beyond glossy magazines visible and not further veiling the existing tensions around motherhood*.
In this light, the showcased works of artists Hannah Kindler and Milena Naef do not shy away from taboo aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. The visibility that arises for the complexity of maternal* care stems from the artists' own experiences and produces a self-determined aesthetic that is decidedly stubborn, provocative, and consciously challenges the viewer’s visual habits. “Myths of Mothers and Other Monsters” invites visitors to follow the queer-feminist perspectives of the artists and to engage with alternative narratives of motherhoods*.
The first iteration of this exhibition took place at Kunsthaus L6 in Freiburg, Germany, and was presented by the M.A.R.S. Maternal Artistic Research Studio Collective.
The asterisk at the end of motherhood* implies the inclusive use of the term that goes beyond a biological understanding for birthing people, situating motherhood* as a socially constructed and historically conditioned idea.
Text: Sascia Bailer
Photos by Kuanling Lin
