Titled Mother in Panic, this drawing appears to show a baby being birthed or, perhaps, pushed back inside its mother’s body. The word “Mine,” written at the top of the sheet, underscores themes of maternal possessiveness and ambivalence. Marlene Dumas made the drawing the year after her own daughter was born.
Marlene Dumas (South African, b. 1953), Mother in Panic, 1990. Watercolor on paper, 11 7/8 x 9 1/2 inches (30.16 x 24.13 cm). Gift of Howard Karshan. 2012.56.
© 2020 Marlene Dumas.