mother and child

The other thing about the Alison Lapper statue (see post below) is the way it also portrayed pregnancy - which is viewed as a disability in its own right - in a public place, something rarer even than the portrayal of disability (alright, Nelson in Trafalgar Square has only one arm, but he doesn't count).

Which takes us back to mother and child - to me, the relentless physicality of motherhood is an aspect that is both fascinating and exhausting.

copyright Colin Pantall

Rineke Dijkstra

Another blast from the past, but one that is incredibly powerful. Rineke Dijkstra found it difficult to photograph her new mothers so she only made a few images - but there is a real primal feel to them. A sense of love but also the feeling that these women would kill for their babies.

Ditte Harlov Johnsen

A more gentle take on mothers and children from
Ditte Haarlov Johnsen (via Conscientious) - look at the accompanying letters the young mothers wrote.

annet van der voort

Annet van der Voort looks at young mothers with their new borns in a direct way that captures something of the physical and emotional trauma of becoming a mother. There's a real sense of fatigue in there and I like the feeling of the frailty of mother and child.