Becoming Parents

Hello,

It feels like it’s been a while since I shared anything here.

I also got two new jobs over the summer, rather suddenly. This means I have a 0.5 contract at The Courtauld, plus more teaching at the Open University. In addition, I am teaching a 6-week class on Buddhist arts at my local University of the Third Age.

That’s three very different student cohorts and I’m enjoying it all immensely. From being back in an actual seminar room and coffees with colleagues, to arranging field trips and chatting with students aged between 19 and 80-something, who put me through my intellectual and pedagogical paces. Hell, I even love my cycle to the station, my time on the train, and the chance to dress up to go to work….

And what else have I been doing?

Not much writing, if I’m honest. I met with my agent in Soho a couple of weeks ago and have a clearer idea of what needs to be done to the two book proposals I’m working on. Lately, I keep coming back to the idea of attention, how much of my job (and my life) is really about noticing. When I’m teaching, it’s about noticing who’s drifting, who’s sparking, what’s working. Right now, I feel very ‘world facing’ and am spending time noticing, absorbing, and mulling over ideas as I cycle or stare out of the train window. This feels like the necessary work. Composting.

Besides this update, I had one other thing to share:

Earlier this year I was invited to write the text for a photo-book Becoming Parents by artist Janine Bächle. Her autobiographical photographs, from pregnancy through to two births and beyond are extraordinary.

As Janine says of the project,

Within this autobiographical and long term series, I have documented in a raw manner the entire range of emotions within my everyday family life. Through observing my children, my partner and my body changes, I have questioned what it means to be a parent in the current time of ‘attachment parenting’ and without support from a big family or ‘village’ to help.

The bilingual (English and German) photo book will be published by Verlag Kettler in December 2025. It will be a 20 x 25 cm hardcover with a beautiful natural book linen and an embossed photo on the front cover. The binding will be thread stitching and contain 152 pages with 83 images including photographs, analogue filmstrips, reproductions of documents and video still frame details.

Janine Bächle, ‘Milk “coming in”, third day postpartum’, 2021

It would make a beautiful gift.

The pre-orders are available on Kickstarter, along with some special bonuses such as art prints.

In the meantime, I have some interviews with creatives to share very soon.

with love, x