Scrimshaw Projects: Matrescence

A site-specific short film screening as part of Tramway Beyond Walls 
This film will be screened on a loop between 6pm and 8pm (duration, 10 mins)

'Matrescence' is the name given to the process of becoming a mother. For people who went through a period of matrescence in 2020/21 it was a process that mainly happened indoors and in isolation, as a result of Covid-19 restrictions. 

In their homes, new mothers went without the usual visits and support from friends and family, and the usual groups where they could meet others who were having the same experience.

In East Pollokshields Quad, in Glasgow's southside, a group of mothers and babies met regularly, once a week, to sing together at Thula Mama, an informal group for parents and babies. Each week, for one hour, parents came to know each other and the babies that had been born under lockdown restrictions through singing together. They rocked, carried, bounced, fed and shushed, and formed a community through singing together in East Pollokshields Quad, standing 1 metre apart.

Taking the form of a site-specific dance for film, Matrescence is a way of capturing this moment in time, a way of honouring the imprints of these vulnerable, intimate and complex early stages of motherhood, and a way for the group to remember they were there, in that space. It is a way of understanding what was lost and what was gained in these extraordinary circumstances.

The film will be screened in East Pollokshields Quad, the same place where it was filmed. Everyone is welcome.  

AUDIENCE NOTES
This film includes mentions of miscarriage and still birth

ACCESS
The film will be captioned.  

The space is wheelchair accessible with bumpy terrain. On the ground is woodchip, concrete and grass. Can navigate with wheelchair or walker and please contact us with any questions. 

There are no toilets are in the space.

This event will be outside with some overhead cover, please bring layers of clothing.

Matresecence has been developed through Moving Out, a collaborative commission from  Tramway and The Work Room to create or adapt work for public sites and outdoor contexts as part of the Tramway Beyond Walls programme.

Image by Scrimshaw Projects