Hannah Maclure Centre, Dundee Scotland

The Mother Load project has collaboratively developed an exhibition and series of workshops to bring together local and international arts practitioners, academics, research scientists, sociologists, caregivers and young people at the Hannah Maclure Centre in Dundee, Scotland. The focus of these efforts is to broaden the impact of this project, inviting the local community to participate in a process of critical making and discourse, community building and creative expression to investigate ways to strengthen creative networks, enabling members to thrive as individuals.

Collaborators include:
- Clare Brennan, Curator, Hannah Maclure Centre, Dundee, Scotland

- Simone O’Callaghan, Digital Practice Artist and Lecturer Digital Interactive Art, Abertay University, Dundee, Scotland

- Pernille Spence, Performance artist and Lecturer, University of Dundee, Scotland

- Zoe Irvine, Performance and sound artist, Edinburgh, Scotland

Visit #tmldundee on Instagram for up to date info

The Mother Load: Dundee is a collaborative project which brings together local and international artists and mothers. Within this group show we share artworks that explore these social structures, works which were enabled through community and connection and work which celebrates the individuals and communities that are the very fabric.This is an exhibition of mother/artists, focused on encouraging dialogue and connection between women who balance artistic careers and motherhood. Additional artists represented in the exhibition include: Mali de-Kalo, Marina Schterenberg, Simone O'Callaghan, Pernille Spence, and Zoe Irvine.

Through a series of workshops, performance, screenings and a public exhibition this project further seeks to understand how networked communities can be built that are dynamic enough to support personal and public personas, compassionate enough to empathise and encourage, yet challenging enough to stimulate and invigorate.

Timeless mums and ageless bairns

Sophia McGraw
Kate Lynne Harwood
Natalia Greszta
Darcey May
Ellaina McFarlane
Jamie Lee Simpson

This work is a collection of hand stitched prints from young mothers who are a part of the Young Mums Unit at Menzieshill High School. We worked with these amazing young women to explore how the practice of art can be a way to communicate, support, and build their communities. This installation is loosely based on the quilting bees of past generations, where women would share their stories, ideas and lives through community based making. These young women used objects that were significant to who they are as mothers and who they are as individuals. Stitched between the layers of cyanotype prints are written hopes each mother has for herself and her child.

As a part of The Mother Load: Dundee, we are hosting a symposium to bring together artists and ideas around the topic of motherhood and the creative practice. This will be an opportunity to gain further insight in to the creative practice of the exhibiting artists and to discuss the mechanisms that support the balancing act between artistic careers and motherhood. It will also be an opportunity for the audience to share their experience (both their creative practice and how this intertwines with their roles as carers), discussing the challenges, ways of working and supporting. To broaden the conversation, we are also inviting international mothers/artists to join in via video link.

Watch the Symposium here and the lively Q&A here