Anne-Marie Cloutier
Oh, Mother...
Oh, Mother...is an autobiographical series depicting my reality as a single mother, in response to the presence but mainly the absence of my children. The day to day as a single mother is about regaining control of my life while intertwined with the responsibility of raising two young daughters.
Oh, Mother… explores the mother-daughter relationship, a self-exploration haunted by the reality that for better or worse, we become our own mothers. There is pressure to perform as a young parent in a world where so much is expected from caregivers
I try to figure out my own path while constantly confronting past trauma, directing the present and the future. Exploring my own self through photographic representation —sometimes honest, sometimes exaggerated—is a revealing experience, while everyday scenes imbued with messages bring a sense of purpose and meaning to the bigger picture and also act as a reminder of the passing of time
I am reminded that time can heal and allow for change as long as one is willing to confront their own story.
Oh, Mother… shines a light on the often-overlooked reality of raising children while maintaining a sense of identity and casting off the weight of past generations.
Anne-Marie Cloutier is an image-maker working primarily with photography and film. Her main practice revolves around the human experience and the exploration of the human subject and the inner self, perceived through the lens of a camera. Influenced by artists and photographers who have emerged in the mid-20th century, her present work focuses on intimate and environmental portraiture as well as photographing the streets, and a prosaic playground where she constantly finds inspiration.