Birth Rites

An exhibition exploring the politics and practice of childbirth through contemporary artwork, uniting artists and childbirth professionals to consider the social, cultural and political implications of the way we give birth.

Advances in biomedical technology and the shift towards medical intervention in birth have coincided with a focus on ensuring women have an equal footing with men in the workplace, which, potentially, has reduced their importance as mothers. In this context, how free are women to give birth how they want and where they want?

Birth rites was initiated by Helen Knowles, an artist and curator, whose contrasting experiences of hospital caesarean and home birth spurred her to question society’s approach to birth. She has been working alongside Phoebe Mortimer, Head of Public Programmes, to bring Birth Rites to the attention of the general public.