Düsseldorf‘s Kunstpalast art museum shines a spotlight on the complexities of motherhood with MAMA: From Mary to Merkel, a compelling exhibition exploring the societal expectations and cultural narratives surrounding maternity. Spanning from the 14th century to present day, the show features approximately 120 works that dissect, challenge, and celebrate the many faces of motherhood in art, culture, and daily life.
Curated by Linda Conze, Westrey Page, and Anna Christina Schütz, this singular exhibition unfolds across eight thematic chapters, each addressing a different dimension of maternal experience. Beginning with the Virgin Mary — arguably the most iconic maternal figure in Christian tradition — the show traces how representations of motherhood have evolved over centuries.
Der Spiegel
Mutter Angela (Mother Angela) 39/2015
Magazine, 2015, Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
Photo: LVR-ZMB – Annette Hiller.
Nina Hagen
Indescribably Feminine, 1978
Record cover from the album Nina Hagen Band, 18,7 x 18,7 cm
© Kunstpalast, Photo: LVR-ZMB – Annette Hiller.
‘Family Configurations,’ meanwhile, questions the role of the family unit in shaping maternal identity, whilst ‘Places of Motherhood’ juxtaposes historical domestic spaces with contemporary feminist critiques, such as Martha Rosler’s seminal video work Semiotics of the Kitchen (1975), which examines the intellectual isolation of housewives through an ironic, performative lens.
The exhibition’s scope extends beyond traditional media, incorporating painting, sculpture, photography, video installations, music, and everyday objects to highlight the multifaceted nature of motherhood. Works on display expose the tension between idealised maternal devotion and the reality of care work, the shifting role of fathers, and the experiences of those who navigate life outside the framework of parenthood. By weaving together historical continuity with contemporary reinterpretations, this emotive Kunstpalast show presents a rich tapestry of maternal identities that continue to be appropriated, debated, and redefined.
On view until 3 August 2025, MAMA: From Mary to Merkel invites visitors to engage with a subject that is both deeply personal and universally relevant. A thought-provoking reflection on love, labour, and legacy, the exhibition reframes motherhood as a cultural construct shaped by time, tradition, and transformation.
Judith Samen
Cutting Bread, 1997
Chromogenic colour print, 135 x 91 cm
Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf
© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025, Photo: Judith Samen.
Sumi Anjuman
I am the Mother too, 2019
Inkjet print, 61 x 40,6 cm,
Permanent loan of the Friends of the Kunstpalast
Photo: © Sumi Anjuman.
Marie-Victoire Lemoine
Geneviève Lemoine-Deluchi with her daughter Anne-Algaé Deluchi, 1800. Oil on canvas, 100 x 81 cm. Arp Museum Bahnhof Rolandseck, Remagen / Rau Collection for UNICEF. Photo: © Mick Vincenz
Louise Bourgeois
The Maternal Man, 2008
Print, embroidery on textile, 26,6 x 20,3 cm
Collection Köser, Cologne, Photo: © LVR-ZMB – Annette Hiller.
MAMA From Mary to Merkel at Kunstpalast Düsseldorf,
Installation Photography, Lars Heidrich. Courtesy Kunstpalast Düsseldorf.
