M(OTHER)WORK
M(OTHER)WORK is a photo-based artist’s book—shot entirely with an iPhone—that captures the labor and love of a stay-at-home-artist-mother. Certain aspects of mothering can be taboo, and it is radical to showcase a queer latinx womxn with indigenous and african-american roots (1) mothering in 2020. Swass’s book stands in service of future generations as a raw exhibition and an audacious proclamation, not only of our existence, but also that of the ancestors whose stories have been robbed from them.
(1) I've been reflecting a lot on my identity, and while it is complicated being so mixed, I've determined that I identify as latinx as this is how the world sees me, but I also have to and want to acknowledge the roots of both my grandmothers.
Damaris Swass is an artist, partner, mother, and storyteller based in Queens, NY. Swass was raised in a matrilineal household by her maternal grandmother, who emigrated in the 1970s to a segregated suburb in Long Island. Swass’s upbringing greatly affects her work and perspectives. She works with various media, including sound, performance, photography, and small metals.