Mary Kelly

Mary Kelly became involved in the early women's liberation movement throughout the 1970s and went on to lead the way for representations of women in the arts. Feminist theory, political discourse and education have remained a constant theme in her work throughout her career.

'Post-Partum Document: Documentation III' - Mary Kelly, 1975

'Post-Partum Document' was a six year exploration of the relationship between mother and child. When it was first displayed at the ICA in London, 1976, the work invoked tabloid outrage due to 'Documentation I' including stained nappy liners - "On display at the ICA ... dirty nappies!" - ran the standard's outraged headline. Each of the six-part series focuses on a developmental moment in her son's learning of language and her own sense of loss, 'moving between the voices of the mother, child and analytic observer.' 'Informed by feminism and psychoanalysis, the work has had a profound influence on the development and critique of conceptual art.

Mary Kelly | TateShots

I believe that Mary Kelly's background within Feminism is quite influential on her work, as I believe that she aims to give women a voice, whether its intended or not. For example, in this piece 'Post-Partum Document' she creates a narrative through documentation which demonstrates the struggle women went through as a mother. But I also think the personal touch to her, not only showing her experience of motherhood, but by allowing her annotations to become apart of her work, almost done as if this piece of artwork is her diary. It's this element of personal touch that I believe will make the viewers much more appreciative of her work as she has been constantly adding pieces from her every moments in that stage of her life. In addition, I believe her daring and risk taking attitudes of feminism came through within her work for the controversy she created by adding the stained nappy liners. It may have been seen as unhygienic and indecent, but I believe it was real and showed the truth of motherhood.