The Last Taboo of Motherhood

Dates
4 Nov 2023 - 27 Jan 2024
Artist/Company
Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings and Sara Sharaawi

Immerse yourself in an installation that illuminates a historically overlooked area of women’s health. Brought together by Alison Neighbour’s captivating design, the piece contains three audio plays written by Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings and Sara Shaarawi that break the pervasive culture of silence around maternal mental health.

The project draws on groundbreaking research led by Professor Hilary Marland, with Dr Kelly Couzens and Dr Fabiola Creed, and is informed by a variety of historical sources, including first hand testimonies from and by women in twentieth-century Britain. The Last Taboo of Motherhood? probes vital questions about women’s experiences

The installation is available to experience for free during the opening hours of the venues listed below.

Produced by Fuel. Funded by the Wellcome Trust and Warwick University.

Talk: Exploring The Last Taboo of Motherhood? 25th January, 6-7.30pm, Glasgow Women’s Library

To accompany this new work, we’re delighted to present a talk with the creative and academic team behind the installation.

Come along to find out about the story of the research at the centre of this project and gain an insight into how artists create engaging and meaningful work from historical material. You’ll hear from the creative and research teams behind the installation and have the chance to ask questions.

Creative Team

  • Written by Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings and Sara Sharaawi
  • Inspired by research by Dr Hilary Marland, Dr Kelly Couzens and Dr Fabiola Creed
  • Installation Designer Alison Neighbour
  • Sound Designer Dinah Mullen
  • Audio Director Francesca Murray-Fuentes
  • Performers Courtney Conrad, Bryony Kimmings, Alex Lowe, Jodie Mitchell, Hiftu Quasem, Victoria Moseley, Emily Stott
  • BSL Interpreter Dionne Simpson

Please note that these audio plays discuss distressing subjects, including postnatal mental illness, infanticide and death. We recommend that they are suitable for ages 16+. 

ABB73C5B-A51C-4932-BDF3-C60C9D79146A Created with sketchtool.

Project History