Love Shit

On Friday, 16 January, Foam will host the book launch of Love Shit, a publication by artist Verena Blok, supported by Amarte.

Love Shit explores the dilemmas surrounding reproduction — (un)wanted pregnancy, motherhood, and childhood itself — which together reveal the complexity of womanhood. Over the course of two and a half years, Verena photographed pregnant individuals at various stages of pregnancy across different European countries. The images in the publication are interwoven with stories, anecdotes, and observations she wrote while working at a Dutch abortion clinic, complemented by personal reflections on the complexities of motherhood and intimacy. The portraits of pregnant individuals are juxtaposed with close-up images of toys, kissing teenagers, and children playing outdoors. These images form the red thread of the book, evoking both the past and future of being born through a woman’s body — as well as the patriarchal structures that shape this experience. The book’s title is derived from the drawing on the cover, made by five-year-old Sadie, the daughter of artist Kate Cooper.

During the evening, Foam’s Head of Artistic Programmes, Mirjam Kooiman, will engage in conversation with Verena and Rodante van der Waal, a midwife and philosopher.

Love Shit is published by Fw:Books Amsterdam.