BATTLE SCARS
The Journey Into Motherhood
About the Exhibition
Battle Scars intends to provide the unfiltered experience of transitioning into motherhood. I want to dive into the physical, psychological, and social changes a woman experiences when she becomes a mother. This exhibit has the goal of giving mothers the voice to set the record straight on what they experience; their frustrations, their fears, their high moments as well as their lows. Battle Scars will act as an educational event for the community to take a peek into the looking glass of a new mother going through a unique experience.
The exhibit will flow through 5 phases:
Phase 1: Woman, Intended to cover the multifaceted single woman experiencing life on her own, with friends, and finding a partner. This phase shows a woman taking care of herself, and all the priorities a single or nonparent, woman would have.
Phase 2: Pregnancy, This phase showcases a pregnant woman. From vomiting, chronic fatigue, and unknown cravings, to endless research about her and her growing baby bump. These telltale stages; swollen feet, food restrictions, prenatal vitamins, as well as miscarriage, and more highlight life for a pregnant woman.
Phase 3: Birth/Postnatal/Postpartum, Here we witness birth, the body in recovery, breastfeeding, healing, after-birth body, stretch marks, hair shedding, postpartum depression, stillbirth, sick children, premature births etc.
Phase 4: Motherhood, We continue the journey started at pregnancy and behold a woman juggling motherhood, work, and taking care of the home. This will also capture personal neglect of self to focus on the child. Slowly trying to get back a sense of identity outside of being a mother. The struggle with being back in the workforce and having to sacrifice bonding time with the child. Struggles with feeling inadequate in mothering and undesirable.
Phase 5: Woman Still, Reclamation! The struggles persist, she learns something new about herself, her child, and the world around her each day. She accepts the obligation and the duties but reframes societal standards of normalcy for the discovery of her own truth. This is where she finds peace and ease as a woman still.
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