M/others in the Institution
universities
M/OTHERS IN THE INSTITUTION
M/others in the Institution is a creative response to research project Empowering Parents in Higher Education by Dr Jennifer Crane and Dr Erika Hanna at The University of Bristol, 2023 - 24.
The project consisted of a series of six monthly creative lunchtime workshops for m/others and parents at the university to enable time and space to reflect on the dualities and complexities of parenting and working in Higher Education. The conversations and creative outputs informed the public artwork NOW YOU SEE US which was exhibited as part of The Festival of Research Cultures and at Senate House from October 2024.
The zine below documents the creative process and archives the project - the collages, poetry, assemblages and installations created by the group of m/others throughout the six workshops. It also acts as a prompt inviting further reflections and responses to m/othering and work.
About NOW YOU SEE US
NOW YOU SEE US suspends high visibility fabrics shimmering in diagonal strips as an unfinished quilt. These highly reflective shards only catch the light in certain conditions, but brighten when a direct light shines on them. The diagonal strips reflect the visual language of access tape, asking who is included and excluded from the institution.
NOW YOU SEE US explores the duality of a m/other being both visible and invisible within the institution and wider society. The piece is left ‘unfinished’ to speak to the representation and inclusion of m/others being a work in progress, and acknowledges the intergenerational inheritance and care passed down from those in both parent and tutor roles.
The project process is documented in the zine M/OTHERS IN THE INSTITUTION, and also resulted in a limited edition artwork Mummy / MUMMY, a bespoke lanyard given to participants to raise awareness of the visibility and access requirements of m/others in the institution.
Commissioned by Dr Jenny Crane and Dr Erika Hanna as part of their research project Empowering Parents in Higher Education. With thanks to the Research England Enhancing Research Culture Seedcorn Funds, from 22/23 and 23/24, and the Research Culture Team at the University of Bristol.
