Breastfeeding|Mother Artists|A Gallery Talk

Leanne Pearce artist in conversation with Anna McNay, Freelance Art Writer, Deputy Editor, State Magazine.

Breastfeeding – An Urgent Topic in Contemporary Society

To complement Pearce’s first London exhibition Breastfeed (1 March - 1 April), Leyden Gallery is hosting a series of gallery talks, performances, and panel discussions running throughout the course of the exhibition during March and on International Women’s Day. These events are referred to as ‘feeds’ that openly lean towards a feminist undertaking with guests/panellists who will address breastfeeding as a subject pertinent to this moment; one that opens the world of discussion and larger debate. With the public opinion generally divided, either being overprotective or critical of this act, many seem to forget the functional, maternal value of breastfeeding. As the focus is shifted toward the negative stories that approach breastfeeding from a judgemental point of view, there is a need to create a counterbalance and understand what it means to be a breastfeeding mother in the 21st century.

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About the Artist: Leanne Pearce looks at breastfeeding both from a personal and professional standpoint. Guided by her own experience of being a mother of two daughters, the artist engages with the subject of maternity and its relation to contemporary society. The image of a mother feeding her child has many historical references, one of the most famous being the religious iconographic representation of the Madonna and Child. Yet, public breastfeeding appears to remain a controversy in the modern world. The increasing interest in this subject matter stems from the contrast between female power and vulnerability, the intimacy of the moment, the challenge of motherhood and the male gaze that tends to sexualise female breasts. Through her paintings, Pearce aims to portray this precious maternal bond in flesh and to reshape our perception of breastfeeding. She depicts herself with her children and other mothers with their babies in the moment that makes them equally strong and fragile. Ultimately, Pearce embodies both the complexity and lightness of being a mother and an artist at the same time.