Participating Artists:
Procreate Project presents a group exhibition featuring 19 short-listed artists of the Mother Art Prize 2020, the only international prize for self-identifying women and non-binary visual artists with caring responsibilities.
This platform aims to promote and support women artists who are mothers, as well as drive the attention of the wider public to a broad-spectrum of themes that would otherwise be overlooked and devalued, embracing the risk necessary to achieve a sea change in the perception and normalization of women’s artistic output as part of the cultural landscape.
Established and curated by Procreate Project, this prize’s edition puts together the most exciting leaders and organisations working to tackle the gender bias and intersectional issues in the art scene.
Featuring artists that work across a range of media, the works were selected among 626 entries from 45 countries and judged by Niamh Coghlan (Director, Richard Saltoun Gallery), Pauline Desouza (Director, Diversity Art Forum), Elvira Dyangani Tse (Director, The Showroom), Eva Langret (Artistic Director, Frieze London), Claire Mander (Chair of Steering Committee UK Friends, National Museum of Women in the Arts and Director, the CoLAB) and Frances Morris (Director, Tate Modern).
The winner of this year’s edition, announced in May 2020, is Helen Benigson. She will have an upcoming solo show in partnership with The Showroom as part of her award. Helen is followed by Violet Costello, recipient of the Online Award, with an online Solo Exhibition with Richard Saltoun Gallery, and Eileen Reynold recipient of the International Award with an upcoming residency with Procreate Project and art material sponsored by Colart.
Their works raise questions around the representation and construction of the body, religious identities, sexualities and gender, as well as reproductive technologies.
“Procreate Project is a vitally important space that supports and champions artists who are carers, (m)others or parents. Procreate Project understands the elastic fragility of what it means to make and show artwork, at the same time as having competing caring responsibilities. At this very surreal and anxious time that we are all living through, spaces like this are extremely rare and extra special, so I am very grateful to Procreate Project and the Mother Art Prize for existing and supporting our work.” - Helen Benigson, Mother Art Prize 2020 Winner
The exhibition is co-curated by Paola Lucente (director, Procreate Project) and Claire Mander (Chair of Steering Committee UK Friends, National Museum of Women in the Arts and Director, the CoLAB).
Pictured from left to right:
Violet Costello , Touch Him ('Bringing Home Baby' series), 2018
Helen Benigson, Jude (still image), 2020
Eileen Reynolds, Biotechnological Madonna and Child, 2011/12
This event is open Tuesday - Wednesday (10:00-13:00), Thursday - Saturday (10:00-18:00), and Sunday (12:00-16:00).
