ABSTRACT
This chapter weaves together two stories of recovery–one describes author experience of post-natal depression and recovery via the study of women artists and feminist art theories. The second references her work work as an artist in an NHS perinatal unit, supporting the recovery of mothers experiencing mental health problems. What links them is the theme of identity, and how visual arts can influence this. Susan Hiller led her to Mary Kelly and her groundbreaking ‘Post-Partum Document’, 1973–1979, a six-year exploration of the mother–child relationship. Focusing on formative moments in her son’s development of language and her own sense of loss, the work moves between the voices of the mother, child and analytic observer. Sessions provide calming distraction from women’s anxieties and can alleviate boredom and/or focusing on negative thoughts. Sessions can facilitate connections between residents, and between residents and staff.
