ARTISTS
Good Mom/Bad Mom: Unraveling the Mother Myth
From March 28 to September 14, 2025, the exhibition Good Mom / Bad Mom. Unraveling the Mother Myth will be on display at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht. This large-scale group exhibition focuses on the many forms of motherhood: from ancient myths about 鈥榞ood mothers鈥� to contemporary, often personal reflections by new generations of artists.
The depiction of mother and child is one of the most well-known motifs in art history: in the Centraal Museum鈥檚 collection, there are dozens of often romanticized portraits of the Virgin Mary and her baby Jesus. With Good Mom / Bad Mom the museum breaks away from the clich茅 of the 鈥榞ood mother鈥� and deconstructs the myths surrounding motherhood by presenting perspectives that have long been invisible. The exhibition highlights themes such as the desire for children, loss, roles beyond traditional biological motherhood, emancipation, and self-determination. Through a transhistorical lens, artists such as Louise Bourgeois & Tracey Emin, Rineke Dijkstra, Marlene Dumas, Luchita Hurtado, Camille Henrot, K盲the Kollwitz, Tala Madani, Patricia Kaersenhout, Charley Toorop, and Billie Zangewa explore motherhood, care, and self-determination in all its facets.
Recommended for you
From March 28 to September 14, 2025, the exhibition Good Mom / Bad Mom. Unraveling the Mother Myth will be on display at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht. This large-scale group exhibition focuses on the many forms of motherhood: from ancient myths about 鈥榞ood mothers鈥� to contemporary, often personal reflections by new generations of artists.
The depiction of mother and child is one of the most well-known motifs in art history: in the Centraal Museum鈥檚 collection, there are dozens of often romanticized portraits of the Virgin Mary and her baby Jesus. With Good Mom / Bad Mom the museum breaks away from the clich茅 of the 鈥榞ood mother鈥� and deconstructs the myths surrounding motherhood by presenting perspectives that have long been invisible. The exhibition highlights themes such as the desire for children, loss, roles beyond traditional biological motherhood, emancipation, and self-determination. Through a transhistorical lens, artists such as Louise Bourgeois & Tracey Emin, Rineke Dijkstra, Marlene Dumas, Luchita Hurtado, Camille Henrot, K盲the Kollwitz, Tala Madani, Patricia Kaersenhout, Charley Toorop, and Billie Zangewa explore motherhood, care, and self-determination in all its facets.
Artists on show
- Abraham Bloemaert
- Aline Thomassen
- Annette Messager
- Artemisia Gentileschi
- Barbara Kruger
- Billie Zangewa
- Britt Dorenbosch
- Buhlebezwe Siwani
- Camille Henrot
- Candice Breitz
- Caroline Walker
- Charley Toorop
- Dennis Oppenheim
- Edward Clydesdale Thomson
- Emma Talbot
- Emmeline de Mooij
- Eva Spierenburg
- Femmy Otten
- Frida Orupabo
- Guerrilla Girls
- Helen Verhoeven
- Hend Samir
- Hendrick Bloemaert
- Jan Adam Jansz. Kruseman
- Jan van Scorel
- Jesse Darling
- Jonas Ohlsson
- Käthe Kollwitz
- Katja Novitskova
- Kinke Kooi
- Lilly van der Stocker
- Lise Haller Baggesen
- Loie Hollowell
- Lotti van der Gaag
- Louise Bourgeois
- Luchita Hurtado
- Magnus Monfeldt
- Marie-Claire Messouma Manlanbien
- Marlene Dumas
- Meister Von Liesborn
- Miriam Cahn
- Monica Sjoo
- Natalia Ossef
- Otto van Rees
- Patricia Kaersenhout
- Paula Rego
- Pipilotti Rist
- Portia Zvavahera
- Rhonda Zwillinger
- Rineke Dijkstra
- Sara van der Heide
- Shardenia Felicia
- Sijben Rosa
- Tala Madani
- Tanja Ritterbex
- Theo van Doesburg
- Tracey Emin
- Tyna Adebowale
- Wangechi Mutu
- Willem Hendrik van der Wall
- Yoko Ono
What's on nearby
