portrait of myself as my mother
my mother’s unused textiles
2015

portrait of myself as my mother (nest)
four channel loop video and performance, 04:32:25
Filmed at the Stephenville Day’s Inn, Newfoundland, Canada
2015

This body of work was created as part of my 4th year directed studies, towards the completion of a BFA Visual Arts at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University. The body of work and research responded to my relationship with my mother, women’s work, and my imagination of what motherhood means.

portrait of myself as my mother was based on my mother’s experiences travelling around Newfoundland for work while she was pregnant with me.

“I would go to meetings or seminars, and when the day was done I’d go back to my room, take out the iron and board and cut out pieces of fabric to make clothes when I got home.” 

From these stories I collaborated with my mother to make a dress using pieces of fabric she cut out, but never assembled. portrait of myself as my mother (nest) is a video and performance piece channeling my mother’s experience balancing professional and domestic labours.