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Exhibit features babies unwed mothers gave up

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

GRIMSBY — The Grimsby Public Art Gallery is showcasing an installation that honours the lives of unwed mothers and the babies they gave up in the early and mid 20th century.

Foundling, by Michele Karch-Ackerman, is an exhibition that sheds light on a secret chapter in Canadian history: the stories of young women who were sent to institutions to hide the shame of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

Gallery education and media co-ordinator Brigitte Huard explained that once the babies were born they were put up for adoption and the mothers were sent home as if nothing ever happened.

“These women were told to go on with their lives as if nothing ever happened … they were told that one day they would get married and have ‘real babies,’” Huard explained.

She added that in some situations these ‘homes’ were beneficial and other times the women were forced to stay there. She explained that if it were a 15-year-old girl, she may not be able to care for the baby so giving it up for adoption was a wise choice, but some women were dropped off their unwillingly simply because they were unwed.

There were strict rules and regulations in place for the women, including a time schedule which was to be punctually obeyed and rules such as no talking in bedrooms.

“The girls were also given names such as Chastity and Prudence and feminine flower names,” Huard explained.

In Foundling, the artist has stitched a meditation on this suffering by hand sewing 100 baby sleepers from a 1950s pattern and vintage fabrics.

“Each of the sleepers has three buttons, representing the baby, the mother and the mother’s mother. Some of the sleepers have matching buttons to represent a joint decision and some have mismatched buttons to represent a difference of opinion.”

Also included in the exhibition are 100 antique teacup and saucer sets. A tea service will be held on Friday, Jan. 14 form 1 to 2 p.m. Visitors are invited to sip tea from these saucers while contemplating the long months of waiting, only to end with this profound loss. There is also a vintage letter box and letter cards for visitors to express their thoughts.

Huard said it is unusual to see an installation such as this in the art gallery, but it has been well-received. She said art is about ideas, and visitors can walk through and interact with this exhibit.

“Instead of removing you from it, the artist is inviting you to be a part of it,” she explained.

The last day of this exhibit is Jan. 16. The artist will be presenting her catalogue at that time, which features art relating to Foundling.

Admission is free.

January 4, 2011
Copyright © 2011 Welland Tribune

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