“Portrait of the Artist’s Mother is a memoir and an examination of the politics of disability. The author describes the pressure from medical institutions to undergo screening during pregnancy and assumptions that a child with Trisomy 21 should not live, even though people with Down syndrome do live rich lives. Years later, Fiona’s son, Fraser, has become an artist. His prize-winning paintings have been exhibited in galleries in Sydney and Canberra.
How does a mother get from the grieving silence of the birthing room through the horrified comments of other mothers to the applause at gallery openings? This is a story of commitment to the idea that all people, including those who are ‘less than perfect,’ have a right to be welcomed into this increasingly imperfect world. is a memoir and an examination of the politics of disability. The author describes the pressure from medical institutions to undergo screening during pregnancy and assumptions that a child with Trisomy 21 should not live, even though people with Down syndrome do live rich lives. Years later, Fiona’s son, Fraser, has become an artist. His prize-winning paintings have been exhibited in galleries in Sydney and Canberra.
How does a mother get from the grieving silence of the birthing room through the horrified comments of other mothers to the applause at gallery openings? This is a story of commitment to the idea that all people, including those who are ‘less than perfect,’ have a right to be welcomed into this increasingly imperfect world.”
This story challenges the distressing prenatal and genetic care that many families face. The author takes a stand from the very beginning – choosing to refer to her son as an artist in the title, rather than a person with Down syndrome.
“Fraser Pollock is a visual artist. He works on both paper and canvas. In 2015 he won the Artists Society of Canberra Spring Exhibition Best in Show and Best Abstract.”
Find it on
(We may get a small commission if you purchase through these Amazon links.)