Creating Birth Rites: collection of contemporary art on childbirth

It was also through the support of midwives that I was able to convince the institutions of the University of Salford (2009-2015) and King’s College London (2017-present) to take on the Birth Rites Collection. This was because midwives saw it as a vital pedagogic tool to explore the taboo and under-represented subject of birth, an often-sidelined aspect of all our lives which is traditionally viewed as a female subject, as something of relevance to all.

The midwives believed that themes which arise from the Birth Rites Collection; medical intervention, new biotechnologies of reproduction, notions of kinship, perinatal and post-natal mental health, the patients point of view and the ethical and social implications of care in birth are relevant and far reaching, beyond midwifery.

International Midwives Day and the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife is a time to celebrate midwives' broad and inquisitive natures and their benevolence and camaraderie.

Birth Rites is a collection of contemporary art on childbirth. The first of its kind in the world. It is housed in Guys Campus at King’s College London and is on display for staff, students and the general public by appointment. During the pandemic, it is accessible virtually.

The collection currently comprises of photography, sculpture, painting, artist books, print, wallpaper, drawing, new media and film. It was set up after I curated a touring exhibition which opened at the Glasgow Science Centre and travelled to the Manchester Museum. The exhibition highlighted five commissions which were the result of collaborations between artists and birth practitioners.

The Birth Rites Collection has grown to 85 artworks which are predominantly donations from artists from around the world and include several commissions.

Works range from tapestries from the likes of Judy Chicago and a huge photographic installation from Mexican artist, Ana Casas Broda. Currently we are in the process of commissioning a new performance work from Puck Verkade who is showing in the Genders Season at the Science Gallery, London.

Our annual Summer School held at Guys Campus in July is an exceptional week-long program of seminars, workshops and discussions around the collection and open to everyone.

If you would like to visit the collection, we hold public tours and during the pandemic, virtual walk-arounds led by myself, Hermione Wiltshire, associate artist of Birth Rites Collection and Eleanor Featherby, midwife and alumni of the Midwifery Department at Kings College, London.