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April 2021: Art and words by Rubiane Maia

Procreate Project, the Museum of Motherhood and the Mom Egg Review are pleased to announce the 45th edition of this scholarly discourse. Literature intersects with art to explore the wonder and the challenges of motherhood. Using words and art to connect new pathways between the academic, the para-academic, the digital and the real, as well as the everyday: wherever you live, work and play, the Art of Motherhood is made manifest. #JoinMAMA #artandmotherhood

For the last three years, I have been investigating the concept of memory and its resonances in our way of existing. More specifically, focusing on the philosophy of Time proposed by Henri Bergson, which affirms memory as duration. In other words, it deals in depth with the subjective time that implies the continuous relationship between our consciousness and the world. This means that our consciousness (which is also memory) is not linear, as it is constituted on the indivisibility of past and present. In Bergson’s words, ‘duration is the continuous progress of the past that gnaws the future and swells as it progresses’. In my opinion, this sentence precisely confirms the hypothesis that memory cannot be configured as a drawer where remembrances are saved, because as the past is preserved by itself as a virtuality that coexists with us, it accompanies us entirely: each one of us is the condensation of the history lived since birth – and even before it.

DISSOLUTIONS

our bodies inhabit landscapes

even on mainland,

we follow the speed of the fish

arms take the form of dorsal fins

legs, tails

we are submerged,

drunk with salt water, contradictions and algorithms

our scaly skin burns, stings

it is true that not all parts of the body fit together – –

becoming-creature, becoming-noise, becoming-mud

the ocean is full of mythologies

hybrid beings,

bird fishes, jellyfishes, hammerhead sharks

in the middle east,

mermaids are goddesses of the sea, of vegetation and rain – –

they smell of dew

in some places in Africa,

they are stormy forces that mobilize the energy of creation

Mameto – Dandá – Kianda – –

Dandalunda, mãe-d’água, Odoyá!

our bodies not only inhabit,

they breath the landscapes

turbulent waters,

urine – giant waves – undertow – –

my fins fold in different directions at the same time

unlike fish, i have lungs:

two spongy cones that I use to filter the air

yes, i breathe,

i, us, the fishes and some other creatures

we breathe, even against our desire

involuntary act,

first and last movement of the life

vortex between birth and death

a gentle breeze comes in through the nostril,

fills the chest,

activates the diaphragm,

moves your tongue,

vibrates

thus, the voice is born

from voice to song, from song to word, from word to scream

our bodies not only breathe,

they become landscapes

from each breath a mountain emerges,

hills – dunes – stones – –

presence

organs are territories,

complex systems, regions

they make mazes and borders

they form valleys, subtle surfaces, rivers and lakes

every mouth is an abyss,

an endless hole

rough skin, dry leaf

dark eyes, fissures

anus, tunnel

blood, current

sweat, combustion.

sneeze, storm

feet, roots

bones, architecture

breath, gust of warm wind

body-landscape

landscaped bodies

we inhale, suspend, count to five

we exhale, suspend, count to four

we inhale, suspend, count to three

silence

we count to two, expand

one

i am breathing as someone that turn the key,

shifting worlds to open and close the body

physical, mental, emotional,

rupture – interference – happening – –

action that operates in the invisible,

in a constant process of variation

difference

breathing is to metabolize,

dissolving all forms, segments, rules, institutions.

breathing is channeling,

an offer from you to you – sensitive laboratory – –

an unpredictable device

vivid dreams

sigh

* Photographs by Manuel Vason

More about Rubiane:

Rubiane Maia is a Brazilian visual artist based between Folkestone, UK and Vitoria, Brazil. She completed a degree in Visual Arts and a Master degree in Institutional Psychology at Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Her artwork is an hybrid practice across performance, video, installation and text, occasionally flirting with drawing and collage. She is attracted by states of synergy, encompassing the invisible relationships of affect and flux, and investigates the body in order to amplify the possibilities of perception beyond the habitual. By doing so, she is constantly re-elaborating her personal notion of existential territories (spatial, temporal, cognitive, social and political). More recently, she has been researching the concept of memory and its relationship with language and the phenomena of incorporation [embodiment], often making use of personal narratives as a device for action and resilience.

In 2014/15 she received a scholarship at the Atelier in Visual Arts of the Secretary of Culture of Espírito Santo, she launched the book ‘Self Portrait in Footnotes’ and participated in the exhibition ‘Modos de Usar’ at the Museu de Arte of Espírito Santo. In 2015, she took part at the workshop ‘Cleaning the House’ with Marina Abramovic and participated at the exhibition ‘Terra Comunal – Marina Abramovic + MAI’, at SESC Pompéia, São Paulo with the long durational performance ‘The Garden’ (2 months). In the same year, she produced her first short film ‘EVO’ that premiered at the 26th Festival Internacional de São Paulo and 22nd Festival de Cinema de Vitória. In 2016, she worked on the project titled ‘Preparation for Aerial Exercise, the Desert and the Mountain’ which required her to travel to high landscapes of Uyuni (Bolivia), Pico da Bandeira (Espírito Santo/Minas Gerais, BRA) and Monte Roraima (Roraima, BRA/Santa Helena de Uyarén, VEN). In the same year she completed her second short film titled ‘ÁDITO’. Since 2018 she has been working on the creation of a ‘Book-Performance’, a series of actions devised in response to specific autobiographical texts particularly influenced by personal experiences of racism and misogyny.

Violet Phillips

This article attempts to address and confront a number of issues within existing museum structures. While the Museum of Motherhood aspires to be a leader in championing women’s studies in a family-friendly environment, there is still much work to be done.

Gail Andersen is a museum consultant who’s been the director of the Mexican Museum, vice-president of Museum Management Consultations, chair of the department of museum studies at John F. Kennedy University, and is now a private museum consultant.

In 2002, she founded Gail Anderson & Associates to help museum leaders further transform their effects on community and global leadership. Her book, Mission Matters: Relevance and Museums in the 21st Century, addresses the ways in which museums can be social change agents.

While museums exist to preserve society, they can also show problems, like racism or sexism, as they exist. Showing the intersection between what has been and what could be, is part of what inspires people to create meaningful change. [3]

Art Works for Change Was founded in 2008, out of a desire for more meaningful change and also aims to use art to address social issues. It focuses on “human rights, social justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship and sustainability” And partners with local organizations. The organization’s philosophy sees artists as storytellers, to both reflect on past experiences and pave the way for better experiences in the future. [4]

As “writer, trainer and consultant” Anna Fathery wrote for MuseumNext:

“At their core, stories make us care. They connect us with people and places, even stimulating the release of a hormone usually expressed during intense bonding experiences, like childbirth, breastfeeding, and sex. This emotional connection is the reason stories are so powerful. As any advertiser knows, stories drive people to take action, whether that’s buying a product, gifting a donation, or making a difference in the world. From a marketing perspective, stories can help museums raise funds, encourage visits, and trigger sales. For instance, when the Tenement Museum in New York wrote about former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in a fundraising mailing it told a story about Roosevelt’s work in the local area. By connecting the teenage Roosevelt’s story with the Museum’s education programs, the call to action was obvious: donate money and you could inspire a new generation of young Eleanor Roosevelts” [5]

However, the storytelling experience currently curated in museums can be difficult for those with physical disabilities to access. People in wheelchairs usually use public transit to get around, and museums can be difficult to find from a bus stop or train station. Many museums also don’t have wheelchair ramps to help people get inside. It also can be hard for someone in a wheelchair to reach the resources provided, such as brochures.

Some museums are also lacking in Braille or audio descriptions that would help blind people access the exhibits, as well as sign language interpreters that would help deaf people access the exhibits. [6]

Also, as of 2015, 84% of museum staffers were white, and those who weren’t were often security guards or janitors. As of 2019, 85% of artists exhibited in major museums were white, and 87% were male. Historical museums rarely show the history of anyone who wasn’t a white man. Curators tend to agree that museums are important and should continue to be part of society, but should also expand to represent a more diverse society. [7]

Children are also less likely to enjoy museums, due to lack of engagement. Of course, many families would like to visit museums and bring their young children, and it could be a way for families to explore and learn together. Children are generally only willing to go to museums with a lot of interactive features. [8]

However, if done properly, museums can encourage children’s critical thinking skills, curiosity and creativity. [9] There are no good reasons why museums can’t make themselves enjoyable to children, who have a lot to learn, unless there are size constraints.

As Gail Andersen insists, museums are one of the most impactful ways to make sense of the past and future. Museums should be made accessible to as many people as possible, so that everyone can absorb the lessons about The past and future.

The current location of the MOM Art Annex in Florida requires additional funding so that it can implement special exhibits that are accessible to all, including those with disabilities, and expand our current space so that children may enjoy engaging, playful, and educational experiences (as we did during our time in New York City). Additionally, we pride ourselves on exhibits from multicultural perspectives. We welcome those of all races, nationalities, and ages to join us as board members, interns, and exhibitors.

Works cited

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Museum-Historical-Contemporary-Perspectives/dp/0759101701

http://linkedin.com/in/gail-anderson-6710575

[2] 1000 museums : museum quality fine art prints & custom framing. “How museums can lead the way for social change.” June 23, 2021. Online. Accessed February 10, 2021.https://www.1000museums.com/museum-activism/

[3] https://www.artworksforchange.org/our-story/

[4] museum next. “Why do stories matter to museums and how can museums become better storytellers?” July 7, 2019. Anna faherty. Accessed February 13, 2021. Online.

Why do stories matter to museums and how can museums become better storytellers?

[5] museum next. “Making museums accessible to those with disabilities.” January 22, 2020. Goabaone montsho. Accessed February 13, 2021. Online.

Making Museums Accessible to Those With Disabilities

[6] vox. “If museums want to diversify, they’ll have to change. A lot.” Constance Grady. November 18, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2021. Online.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/the-highlight/21542041/museums-diversity-guston-national-gallery-hiring

[7] “what do families with children need from a museum?” Kai-Lin wu. Accessed February 13, 2021. Online.

Click to access ejournal2_wu.pdf

[8] world of illusions. “The educational benefits of taking kids to museums.” April 9, 2019. Accessed February 14, 2021. Online.

https://laillusions.com/the-educational-benefits-of-taking-kids-to-museums/