Women's Bodies in Poetry (ASC36)

Develop your writing and understanding of poetry with this themed one-day workshop.

What you will learn on this course

Taking MAC’s current exhibition,Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood*, as a starting point, the course will explore the topic of women’s bodies through the medium of poetry.

After a brief introduction the day will begin with a guided visit to the exhibition.

You will be looking at how contemporary women poets write about motherhood, pregnancy, and women’s bodies in general. This course will give you an overview of how women poets and visual artists address these themes. You will use their techniques to write inspirational poems.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

- Understand and discuss the strategies adopted by poets to talk about motherhood and women’s bodies.

- Appreciate how contemporary artists dare to create work that can be perceived as controversial or shameful.

- Generate new work inspired by the exhibition.

- Write successfully about your own bodily experiences and/or experiences of motherhood, if that is part of your lived experience.

This course is led and created by Julie Irigaray, poet and creative writing teacher.

*Please note the artworks in Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood address important issues surrounding women’s health and wellbeing including: Nudity, childbirth, (in)fertility, miscarriage, abortion, loss, domestic abuse, adoption, sterilisation and obstetric violence.

Your artist tutor will provide support before, during and after the exhibition visit. You may opt out if you don’t want to see the exhibition.

Who is this course for?

This course is open to adults 18+. It is open to all ability levels with no prior experience of writing required.

At the heart of MAC is a focus on accessibility and inclusion. Please contact us to discuss your specific access needs. A personal assistant or companion must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support.

Do you need to bring anything?

All course materials and equipment are provided

Are there any additional costs?

There are no additional costs for this course.

Who teaches this course?

Julie Irigaray

Image credit: Claudette Johnson, Afterbirth (1990). © Claudette Johnson.