Merriam-Webster’s third definition for heritage is defined as something possessed as a result of one's natural situation or birth. My Dutch heritage historically holds fast to ideals of rigidity, structure, order, pragmatism, and frugality. At the same time, my response to this heritage is often to provide an opposite contextual framework for me and my children. Herein lies a tension between frivolity, empathy, and indulgence in conflict with rigid precision and rigor. The photographs below are a documentation of the humanity of maternal failure, or what my heritage would deem as failure. Simply put, a good mother would not let these things occur - and so a morality of place emerges. This is the heritage passed down to me that I intend to interrupt and alter toward a salubrious heritage for my children (series is ongoing).
