16/02/2026
Caroline Walker’s major solo exhibition 'Mothering' is on view at Pallant House Gallery, having previously shown at The Hepworth Wakefield.
Motherhood, particularly in its early days, weeks and months, seldom rhymes with stillness – instead, one may readily picture sleepless nights, bodily fluids and wailing. Artworks such as Walker's 'My Bottles and Pumps' (2024) explore this experience.
The piece speaks to the continual balancing act of parental care, paid work, and other responsibilities life may throw at parents. For centuries, maternal devotion has been depicted with women cradling children, infants suckling at the breast; here it is conveyed in breast pump valve, fl**ge and cap, stacked up silicone teats and bottle screw rings, the clinical plastic’s curves and translucency rendered in deftly loose brushstrokes.
See the work on view until 26 April 2026. Click the 🔗 link to plan your visit and find out more: https://www.stephenfriedman.com/news/1274-caroline-walker-mothering/
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1. Installation views: 'Caroline Walker: Mothering’, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK (2025). Copyright Caroline Walker. Courtesy the artist and Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, UK. Photo by Chris Ison.
2. Caroline Walker, 'My Bottles and Pumps', 2024. Oil on board. 41 x 33cm (16 1/8 x 13in). Framed: 43 x 35 cm (16 7/8 x 13 3/4in). Copyright Yinka Shonibare. Courtesy the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London and New York. Photo by Peter Mallet.