Thecla Schaeffer’s Explosive Art Collection Explores How Motherhood Both Liberates and Oppresses

What does it mean to mother in a world that both celebrates and shackles you? Former CMO-turned-artist Thecla Schaeffer confronts this question in CATTLE (MOTHERHOOD), her latest exhibition opening at de Vrije Academie in Amsterdam’s historic canal district. 

Under Mother’s Skirt 

Against a creeping regression in women’s rights, bodily autonomy and identities, Thecla Schaeffer launches her provocative new exhibition interrogating the societal expectations placed on mothers. Continuing her exploration of the role and perception of women in society through art, the former CMO for global brands G-Star and Tony's Chocolonely invites audiences to reflect on the systemic oppression of women through the specific prism of motherhood, while simultaneously celebrating female resilience and the unbreakable bond between mother and child.

Centred around a female figure expressing her emotions through a series of physical movements - similar to choreography - CATTLE (MOTHERHOOD) questions the paradoxical societal expectations placed on mothers through modern interpretations of the Madonna and child to depictions of pregnant women. Though inspired by personal experience, the message is universally resonant. 

Motherhood (A), Motherhood (B), Motherhood (C)

“After my divorce, I experienced first hand how deeply ingrained society’s expectations are. It became 'my role' - and mine alone - to raise three children, while simultaneously being judged for working full-time to support them,” says Thecla. “Society paradoxically demands that women return to 'traditional roles' while abandoning them to bear the financial, emotional, and practical burdens of parenthood alone. This hypocrisy fuels much of the anger present in my work. Amidst this anger, however, is an enduring theme of love - the unbreakable bond between mother and child. This love, fierce and protective, runs through every piece, even in those that confront the pain of societal blindness.”

It’s none of our business (S)

As the former head of marketing for denim label G-Star and ethical chocolate brand Tony's Chocolonely, Thecla has won a slew of creative awards, including a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, for parlaying the power of persuasion into positive causes. At G-Star, she launched a multi-year collaboration with Pharrell Williams, selling jeans made of recycled plastic collected from the world’s oceans, followed by ‘The Sweet Solution’ -  a public condemnation of the cocoa industry in the form of lookalike chocolate bars - at Tony’s Chocolonely.  In fact, Pharrell Williams is also one of the early patrons of Thecla’s work; he has added numerous works into his private collection.

In paintings, sculptures and light installations, the new show reflects Thecla's extensive experience in branding and marketing through its strong consistency and a clear language of form. Every piece features the same female figure built up, doll-like, from different elements, cast in a limited natural palette to emphasise her nakedness, vulnerability and sense of raw emotion.

CATTLE (MOTHERHOOD) opens at a time where women are still hindered from telling their own stories: less than 14% of living artists represented by galleries are women and 85% of art in museums comes from white men. In an era of creeping regression in female rights, identity and bodily autonomy worldwide - from the horrifying Gisele Pelicot rape case to the erosion of abortion access across the US - it is more important than ever that women have the opportunity to have their voices heard through art.

Digital work and physical art go hand in hand in this exhibition. Each buyer will receive an NFT as a digital version and certificate of authenticity of the physical artwork. 

The must-see exhibition will run until the 16th February 2025 at Amsterdam’s de Vrije Academie. 

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Motherhood (A)

The Mother (CATTLE)

It’s none of our business (L)

Shadow work - falling