Anna Skidmore
This work is based on my mother’s diary that she wrote for me, documenting my life from birth to age eighteen, which she gave to me on my birthday. While its original purpose was to retell my childhood, I am repurposing it and exploring what it documents about my mum and her experiences of having me. I have revisited places and memories from my childhood but imagined them through the eyes of my mum. I explore themes of nurturing, sacrifice, and growth, inviting viewers to contemplate the universal journey of motherhood while also conducting a very personal investigation for myself. Each piece captures a different excerpt from the diary that has been taken and transformed.
I aim to foster empathy and connection through my art, inviting viewers to reflect on their own relationships and experiences. My hope is to create a space for dialogue and introspection, where the shared journey of motherhood is celebrated and honoured. Beyond that, my work is dedicated to my mum who devoted so much of her life to being a mother of four and has paved the way for when I become a mother in the future.