Kate Hansen Art
  • Home
  • Gallery News
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Madonna and Child Project
  • Pivot Line
  • Grad Show 2001
  • The Artful Mother
  • Contact

Kasie and Nikolai

12/7/2010

6 Comments

 
Picture
When I first saw the reference photo I used for this painting it was among those photos posted on the TERA website (Topfree Equal Rights Association) which had been removed by Facebook.  I found the photo riviting- the look on her face expressed all the awe and emotion that I had felt after the birth of my daughter.  The fact that the mother and baby were locked in each other's gaze reminded me of what I felt when I first looked into my daughter's eyes- I felt as if I had seen her before.  "Hello!  Remember me?"

It disturbs me that a photo like this might be removed while others like the one below are allowed to remain.    
Picture
The first image is not necessarily very nude.  No breast area is visable at all, and only a faint shadow can be seen in the crotch area.  Her state is very obviously non- sexual; she is nude for the purpose of childbirth, specifically a water birth.  She's very real, very female, but not sexualized.

I venture to guess that it's the fact that this image is NOT sexual that people find disturbing.  I wonder if it's the fact that she's very human looking, very raw and emotional that upsets people.  Her vulnerable state, her love and obvious joy may be off-putting to people, it reminds us of our own vulnerable state, our own humanity.  In the same way that people seem to find breastfeeding images disturbing, I think they find childbirth photos equally upsetting.  They remind us that we are not the airbrushed, sexualized vision we are used to seeing in the media. 

They remind us that we are human.
6 Comments
Zappha
12/7/2010 01:19:13 am

Very well said Kate. Just when we think we are moving forward toward understanding, we take three steps backward. At least life is never boring.

Reply
Janice Reynolds
12/7/2010 01:27:07 am

I totally agree with your last paragraph. In fact, I was thinking that, before I even READ your last paragraph. They only want to see the sexy woman, or the controlled, proper woman. That why people don't want to see bfing in public - they comments you read are "big, blue-veined, stretch-marked, udders" things like that. No one wants to think we are mammals, that we aren't really different from the other mammals around us.

Thanks for your beautiful art. My mentor says we need to get much more bfig art around us, to bring back the "awe" and respect and reverence for women and what they do in birth, bfing. I told her about you - maybe I'll arrange for us both to travel to Regina to your show over Christmas.

Reply
Michelle link
12/7/2010 01:55:24 am

Kate - this is an amazing picture and I love the story behind it and why you decided to make this Madonna. Proud of you!

Reply
Jessy link
12/7/2010 04:45:19 am

Your work is absolutely beautiful!

Reply
Jessica
12/7/2010 11:57:09 am

Kate, your newest portrait is absolutely stunning! Her face is incredible...you are just so talented!

As for the second picture, well I just feel bad for that woman. It's kind of repulsive to me, and honestly, will she look back on her career with any amount of integrity after that kind of photo shoot? I hate to judge though, unless I walked in her shoes, that would just gnaw at me personally. To think that it's accepted on FB and some pic of a discreetly nursing mom (or waterbirthing, in this case) is beyond ridiculous. So true, what Janice wrote about udders! People are disarmed by the humanity of it all.

Gorgeous new portrait Kate! Well done.

Reply
Kasie
12/7/2010 12:53:34 pm

Thank you a million times for this, Kate. It is absolutely stunning, as is all your work. A beautiful reminder of a beautiful moment. It means so much to me, and is something I will treasure forever.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    A blog on art, roller derby and life.

    Kate Hansen

    I'm an artist and mother of two  in Courtenay, BC.  I've completed a project called the "Madonna and Child Project," and I'm now working on a series of roller derby inspired drawings. In my spare time I play roller derby with the Brick House Betties.  

    Kate Hansen

    Promote Your Page Too

    Archives

    November 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

    Categories

    All
    Age Old Questions
    Amy Jenkins
    Amy Swagman
    Art
    Art Censorship
    Art Gallery
    Birth
    Black Rose Tattoo
    Bonnie Lynn Polnaszek
    Breastfeeding
    Capturing The Spirit
    Carole Epp
    Censorship
    Chilbirth
    Childbirth
    Children
    Christmas Cards
    Cipa
    Circumcision
    Day Of The Dead
    Domestic Violence Awareness Month
    Exhibition
    Facebook
    G20
    Gillian Clarke
    Halloween
    Iblce
    Ican
    Japan
    Jennifer Linton
    Jennifer Mcnichols
    Kate Wilhelm
    Kids
    Kim Kardashian
    Leif Harmsen
    Madonna And Child Project
    Mandala Journey
    Martha Jablonski- Jones
    Michelle And Sawyer
    Molar Pregnancy
    Motherhood
    Movember
    Muertos And Marigolds
    Muir Gallery
    Nursing In Public
    Petite Mort Gallery
    Poetry
    Psychology Today
    Public Heath
    Rachel Epp Buller
    Racism
    Respect The Breast
    Roller Derby
    Ron Mueck
    Russ And Lisa
    Sunday Feature
    Tattoo
    The Leaky B@@b
    The Madonna And Child Project
    Tiara And Eve Marie
    Toddlers
    Unassisted Birth
    Valentine
    Vancouver Island Music Festival
    Vbac

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Gallery News
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Madonna and Child Project
  • Pivot Line
  • Grad Show 2001
  • The Artful Mother
  • Contact