Ideas of motherhood have profoundly influenced art throughout history. The Madonna with child, a recurrent theme since the Middle Ages, was initially depicted by men who idealized the mother figure. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that women like Paula Modersohn-Becker reclaimed the motif, portraying it realistically and embedding it in everyday life. In the 1970s, painter Alice Neel captured the challenges of motherhood, highlighting the exhaustion and fears of inadequacy on canvas. At Galerie Kewenig pied-à-terre, artist Jamie Diamond challenges conventional notions of motherhood, illustrating how it can be shaped by unfulfilled dreams. Her photographic self-portraits resemble reincarnations of familiar scenes: Diamond in a landscape cradling a child, asleep on a couch with her child on her chest, on the beach, or silhouetted in front of a window. However, a subtle disturbance emerges in these idealized scenes—the child she holds is, in fact, a doll.
This hyper-realistic replica of a baby is drawn from the “reborners” community. While some view these dolls as collector’s items, others see them as substitutes for unfulfilled desires or lost children. Women in the community handcraft the dolls, often accompanied by fictitious birth and adoption certificates. Diamond initiated her series in 2007, engaging with community members to understand their intentions, dreams, and fears. In the series “I Promise to Be a Good Mother,” Diamond’s photographs suggest an exploration of her own life choices rather than a detachment from the everyday lives of the women she depicts. The title is borrowed from her diary, where she recorded instructions to her younger self. Diamond’s art emphasizes that the role of mother remains a social construct, while closeness is a personal and individual experience for everyone.
Text: Laura Storfner / Photos: Lepkowski Studios Berlin / Credit: Jamie Diamond & Kewenig pied-à-terre (Berlin)
Kewenig pied-à-terre, Mommsenstr.4 | vis-à-vis 69, 10623 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map
Jamie Diamond: Faking It until 10.02.2024 Thurs–Sat 11–18h
Kewenig, Brüderstr.10, 10178 Berlin–Mitte; map
Jamie Diamonds video work Skin Hunger & Constructed Family Portraits until 27.01.2024
@keweniggalerie
@jamiediamond
