12/09/2026
MOTHER ARTIST: Irene Kontakos
Visit us to discover a visually striking exhibition inspired by history, storytelling, and cinematic scenes.
Find us at:
📍81 Denmark St, Kew VIC
🖼️ Online Catalogue now available. Link in bio.
This small body of work explores the condition of the mother artist, reflecting on my own subjective experience in reconciling the positions of both mother and artist. It aims to convey the reality of both functions in plain and simple terms, without embellishment. Made in defiance of the historical myth that women cannot be great mothers and also great artists, this collection serves as encouragement to myself and others not to relinquish either role. The mother artist finds that her pre-children identity gradually erodes over time and in its place a new, hybrid being emerges. She pours herself completely into both functions and continues to persevere despite the obstacles, through a combination of resilience and stubbornness.
The use of embroidery as an artistic method is a deliberate choice, connecting the materiality of the artwork to the overall theme. Embroidery has been historically associated with the feminine and motherhood, conjuring images of domesticity and subdued obedience. In this work, rather than embroidering images of beauty and pleasing patterning, I have used the power of text to provoke thought and encourage reflection on the reality of the mother artist. Rather than using traditional embroidery thread I have used may own hair, adding to the intended subversiveness of the work. Being a mother artist is not alluring or glamourous; it is a draining struggle for survival that predominantly occurs, overlooked and often silent, in private spaces.
