blessed
Blessed is a mother that would give up part of her soul for her children’s happiness.
- Shannon L. Alder
Artist Statement
Blessed is an installation of photographs that utilizes intrinsic characteristics of photography to expose the intimate moments between a mother and her child. By documenting the lives of a variety of mothers as they interact with their children, I am able to document the mundane moments of connection that can be appreciated regardless of one’s personal or cultural identifiers and experiences. Miniature fingers reach out within the intention to grasp onto their mother. The child asks to be loved and cared for, trusting their small hands to hold onto the one that will protect them. The instinct of a mother is to love, care, and protect her child no matter the cost. The birth of a child does not negate a dramatic shift in a mother’s life, but instead leads to the natural creation of a bond of trust. This bond is created through sacrifice and care. Humans differ from each other in many ways, whether it is through genetics, ethnicity, religion, location, or culture. But a certain level of connection between a mother and her child translates across these differences, forming a bond that is hard to replicate with another.
