While in these homes, many women now state, they experienced emotional, psychological, and spirtitual coercion designed to facilitate the surrender of their infants to the system of closed adoption which then existed. This site, The Demeter Project, contains a folio of fourteen images created by Barbara Franks-Morra, a birthmother and artist. These images address the emotional, spiritual, and psychological consequences on one individual who underwent this experience. Ms. Franks-Morra has provided a running commentary on each work, which should be understood as an artist's statement. Issues of healing and reunion are not considered in this document.
All images are original, mixed media works.
In this work, Picasso addresses the great themes of birth, death, and loss. I was magnetically attracted to this painting, and spent hours before it, wondering at Picasso's meaning. It was only years later that I came to appreciate the personal message this great work held for me. The original parents experience the overwhelming impact of irrevocable separation from their infant. At this moment, Eve cannot know or see what is happening .