Desperate Artwives
Established in 2011
by Artist and Mother Amy Dignam whilst pregnant with her third child. Initially as a platform for women artists who are also mothers Desperate Artwives was the only one of its kind at that time. From there it quickly grew into a strong collective of female artists most of who are mothers but also includes women who have other caring responsabilities who wanted to bring together reactive and proactive art to challenge stereotypes, call up social issues and create a visible international platform from which to do this.
DAW has become a space for activism and motherhood. The collective produces group shows, protest-like subversive takeovers in public spaces as well as gallery spaces, performance events, exhibitions, workshops and talks that challenge the status quo, open up the lives of women around the world and basically shout loud. DAW aims to continually widen the scope of the women and mothers that it reaches around the world through embracing new technologies and new ways of sharing work online.
Image by Caitlin Alexandra Robinson
Image by Tracey Kershaw
For more information or to be part of the project please send us an email at [email protected]
Amy Dignam – Founder and Director Desperate Artwives often collaborates with artists on new projects and ideas. Collaboration and partnership is an important part of who we are and what we stand for. These are some of the artists we have worked with:
Susan Merrick – Co-curator of Woman Up! podcasts, Co-Founder and Co-curator of Desperate Artwives ‘PUBLIC Takeover’ (August 2017).
Katy Howe – Co-curator of INTERGENFEM, Reframing the Sentimental in the Art of the Maternal – Workshop and SHESHOWS 2.
Ema Manno Epp – Founder and Director of Platform 1 Gallery. Ema has hosted our ‘Refreming the Sentimental in the Art of the Maternal’ workshops through June 2018 and Wandsowrth Art Trail ‘Women Space’ in October 2018.
Eti Wade – Co-curator of the Desperate Artwives first ‘Takeover’ at Leyden Gallery (March 2017)
Adriana Çerne – Co-curator of ‘Midsummer Madness Takeover’ (July 2017)
Chloe Bowles – Co-founder of the Every Day Project
Image by Helen Sargeant