Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood by Karni Arieli

Eye Mama is a visual testament to the real, tender and powerful experience of motherhood. Emerging from the global Eye Mama Project, it collects over 150 intimate photographs taken by mothers, caregivers and parents worldwide - capturing moments of love, exhaustion, joy, vulnerability and resilience. Through these images, the book shows the quiet intensity, beauty and complexity of daily life that is so often hidden from view.

This book offers:

• A radical re‑visioning of motherhood - showing the full spectrum of caregiving experiences, from the tender to the messy and celebrating all forms of parenting, including non-traditional families and chosen kin.

• A visual archive of intimacy and care - photographs of home life, children, family and self that highlight subtle gestures, fleeting emotions and everyday rituals. The beauty lies in the authentic details: light and shadow, small smiles, tired hands and the quiet moments of connection.

• Space for reflection and solidarity - a book for parents, allies and anyone seeking to understand or honor the realities of caregiving. Each image invites pause, empathy and recognition of the emotional labour involved in raising and nurturing others.

• A celebration of visibility and belonging - by showing the lived experiences of mothers and caregivers around the world, Eye Mama fosters a sense of shared humanity, empathy and community. It challenges sanitized, idealized portrayals of motherhood and instead honors authenticity and truth.

More than a photo book, Eye Mama is a profound, gentle and necessary exploration of love, labour and identity in parenthood. It is a tribute to those who care, nurture and build family every day - a book to reflect on, return to and feel seen.

Publisher & Format

Publisher: teNeues (2023)
Format: Hardcover / Hardback, approx. 300 × 235 mm
Pages: 224, with over 150 colour photographs
Language: English and German texts included