In her new commission, Suzanne Bocanegra examines motherhood as a political state of being. Deeply researched and delightfully labyrinthine, Motherhood sheds light on topics often deemed taboo: the history of infanticide, the creation of orphanages, the politics of infertility.
Motherhood is the fifth in a series of pieces that transform the artist lecture into a personal, researched, theatrical event. Combining personal memoir and cultural history with art historical analysis, Motherhood explores the ways society values – or undervalues – the creation, nurturing and education of children, and the way social and political institutions shape our ideas about the value of motherhood.
Presented as a slide lecture with actor Judah Lang performing as the artist, Motherhood touches on a wide range of topics including foundling homes, feminism, mother and child paintings, party planning through the ages, Susan B. Anthony, and nuns. And in the words of Bocanegra, “It will also be funny.”
Written and created by Suzanne Bocanegra
Performed by Judah Lang
Directed by Claudia Zelevansky
Design and Technical Director Joey Wolfslau
Associate Director Jillian Jetton
Produced by Jecca Barry / Fin Productions
Motherhood, an Artist Lecture by Suzanne Bocanegra starring Judah Lang was commissioned by Texas Performing Arts at the University of Texas, Austin, and the Walker Arts Center. Developmental support provided by Mercury Store and The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.
Motherhood will be performed at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, on May 21–22, 2027.
Motherhood will be performed at Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA, on March 18–19, 2027.