MATRILINEART: Song Nelson

Song Nelson, Choreographer in Residence at The 418 Project Presents

MATRILINEART: Self-portraits from the Milky Way.

This multimedia performance paints a comedic yet poignant self-portrait of the unique inspirations and peculiar circumstances a woman faces as she attempts to integrate motherhood and creative practice.  The show features paintings by Marie Haughton Spaeth (Nelson’s great grandmother), who’s self-portraits of her babies breastfeeding baffled the art world over 100 years ago. Spaeth’s work proves to be as evocative and relevant as ever today.  

With maternal ancestors lighting the way and a multigenerational cast of mother-daughter-artists, Nelson creates a multilayered narrative that magically shifts in time and perspective. Self-portraits from the Milky Way reveals a legacy of mother-child musings and creative consolation found in dark lullabies, primordial wonder, snack-time, bath-time, dreamtime, clothes line and life-line.