Title: Worlds motherway
Description: "During my travels to cemeteries since 2011, I have photographed over six thousand last names on headstones that are parts of speech. With these words I have created books that investigate language, history, and some of life's events. Gathering these names it became apparent how difficult it would be to tell women's stories, as most of the select occupations and many of the physical characteristics reflect our patriarchal method of naming. In the English language, names with the suffex son or man abound. I looked through my surname collection and selected three words that are traditionally women's first names: Eve, Judy, and Hester. Motherhood was the common link I found in the story of Eve, the puppet show Punch and Judy, and the novel about Hester and her scarlet letter. My title "Worlds Motherway" came from the naming of Eve as the mother of all the living by Adam. Each mother was assigned a degree of guilt, blame or shame as well, which I have tried to address in this interpretation"--Statement from artist's website.
Subjects: Artists' books, Specimens, Sepulchral monuments in art, Names, Patriarchy, Male domination (Social structure), Names, Personal, in art, Artistic Photography
Places: Illinois, Urbana
People: Bea Nettles (1946-), Eve (Biblical figure)
Time periods: 21st century