Colourful procession through Walsall set to celebrate strength and solidarity of local women
The streets of Walsall are set to come alive with colour, music and folklore as a special art project comes to a close.
The event on Saturday, July 19 is the final procession of Mothers Without Hands, a six-month community project that has also taken place in Folkestone, Prague and Erdington and comes to Walsall for its final act before featuring as an exhibition.
Mothers Without Hands is funded by Arts Council England and supported in Walsall by Aaina Community Hub, Caldmore Community Garden, Walsall Council’s Community Building and Cohesion Department, and the Romanian + Community Centre.
Birmingham-based artist Tereza Bušková will be leading the ceremonial procession created in collaboration with local women, which starts from the square outside New Art Gallery Walsall and will feature striking costumes and performances, including two hand-decorated headdresses inspired by the ancient Alpine Perchtendanz tradition.
Woodwork artist Joseph Welden has made the sculptural headpieces, which will be worn by two Czech 'mothers' accompanying Bušková’s longtime collaborator and muse, performer Zoe Simon.
Over the past few months, women in Walsall have taken part in art, craft and baking workshops at Aaina Community Hub and Caldmore Community Garden.
Led by textile artist Tina Francis and material weaver Phi Evans, the sessions gave women a space to connect, create and contribute to the making of the procession.
Rooted in folklore and inspired by a Czech tradition known as Ježíškovy matičky, the Mothers Without Hands project explores themes of strength, survival, and protection.
The title references The Girl Without Hands, a fairytale recorded by the Brothers Grimm that deals with themes of violence, resilience and healing.
Tereza Bušková sad: “I would like to empower women who have experienced or are experiencing sexual and domestic violence.
"This kind of abuse, and the invisibility and stigma attached, are things that need to be talked about more.
"My aim with Mothers Without Hands is to offer support and a form of protection through collective making and sharing.”
The procession will be filmed as part of a new video artwork that will be shown later this year in Prague, Folkestone, Birmingham and Walsall and will also be featured in Ms Bušková’s upcoming solo exhibition at The New Art Gallery Walsall in July next years.
