This May, the Group Action “Mae Um Retrato” will be taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with the aim to “make the invisible work of hundreds of mothers visible to the world."
Based on the theme "Mother: A Portrait," this Action aims to spread awareness about mental health for women in maternity throughout Brazil. This Action’s statement emphasizes the importance of sharing how the pandemic has challenged and impacted mothers, as well as the need to create support systems for different communities throughout the country. Portraits from this Action include hundreds of mothers of all backgrounds, races, genders, sexual orientation, and social origin, to show the world the different experiences and representations of what it means to be a mother.
Particpant signing her portrait release form in Florianopolis, Brazil.
During the portrait-taking process, Group Leaders, photographers, and volunteers conducted workshops with participants at each photoshoot location. They led conversation circles in which they shared and listened to the stories and experiences of mothers. These workshops brought participants closer together with their community and created a space for them to talk about the urgency for more public policy that serves the basic needs of mothers and their children.
Group workshop in Belford Roxo, Brazil.
As part of their Action, Group Leaders are also filming participant testimonies to show the current challenges mothers face and represent what motherhood looks like in Brazil. Their goal is to create a documentary about the project that illustrates the diverse realities of mothers across the country!
This Group Action is currently ongoing with plans to reach all 27 states of Brazil. So far, there have been 50 photoshoots and workshops with more than 140 women and mothers involved in organizing this Action across the country!
Mother having her portrait taken in Teresina, Brazil.
The mothers who participate in this Group Action will have the opportunity to express themselves and have their faces represented in one massive installation. The pasting will take place in Rio de Janeiro in May 2022 and will include more than 1,000 portraits! For more information, check out the Action page here.
As this Action continues to grow, our team has also continued our efforts to make Inside Out Project more accessible all around the world. We are thrilled to announce that our website will be available in Portuguese soon!
Stay tuned for more updates on this Action and others to come!