“In almost all societies where infanticide is practised, female children are particularly affected. Female infanticide usually occurs in patriarchal cultures where there is a strong preference for men and a devaluation of women.” (Wikipedia) Conversely, the exaltation of male offspring as a social consensus does not always come exclusively from men. Mostly it is women themselves who shape their children’s self-esteem through education and thus keep the vicious circle going.
For me, the symbol of the traditional mother-son relationship is the subject “Mary with the Child Jesus” – a manifestation of male power fantasies of chastity, submissiveness, selflessness and unconditional loyalty – qualities that still shape the image of women in almost every patriarchal society today.
In 2015, I worked on a postcard of “Mary with the Child Jesus” every day in my own way. In the end, there were 365 collages about motherhood, childhood and memory.
This was an annual project initiated by Antje Fischer, realised together with Antje Fischer and Marlies Achermann-Gisinger. All the works of this project with more than 1000 postcards were presented to the public in the joint exhibition “Point of Opinion” in Münsingen.
Virtual tour through the exhibition.
