Conversation with
Hettie
Judah

Can one be both a good mother and a good artist? For too long, artists were taught that they would not be taken seriously if they chose to have children. To this day, taboos endure around motherhood as a theme for art. In the first half of this event, Hettie Judah will share her research into the (often unexpected) impact of motherhood on artists’ careers, from their time at art college to their relationships with commercial galleries.

Drawing on interviews with artists and organisations around the world, she will detail issues faced by parents in various sectors and discuss how we might do things differently. The second part of the event will be a workshop and discussion during which participants will work together to formulate ways in which the art world might become more inclusive to artist parents. 

Hettie Judah is a British art critic and the author of How Not to Exclude Artist Mothers (and other parents) (Lund Humphries, 2022). In 2021 she worked with a group of artists to compile the manifesto How Not to Exclude Artist Parents which has since been translated into 16 languages. With Jo Harrison she is co-founder of the Art Working Parents Alliance, a support network and campaigning group. She is currently working on a Hayward Gallery touring exhibition and accompanying book On Art and Motherhood (2024).

Judah’s most recent book How Not to Exclude Artist Mothers (and other parents) will be available for sale at the event.

In Collaboration with Konstnärernas Mamma Kollektiv (KMK) and HDK-Valand, with support from Västra Götalandregionen.