The Eye Mama book is a photographic portfolio showcasing the mama narrative and the mama gaze, what female and non-binary photographers see when they look at, and into the home.
Based on the Eye Mama Project, a photography platform sharing a curated feed by photographers worldwide who identify as mamas, the Eye Mama book brings together more than 150 images to render what is so often invisible - caregiving, mothering, family and the post-motherhood self - visible.
Eye mama was created by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker and photographer Karni Arieli during the pandemic, when everyone around the world was in lockdown and spending more time in the home, often consumed by caregiving. The visual movement centres around the "mama gaze", an introspective look at home and care by female and non-binary visual artists.
This iconic book of photographs brings together the images from this movement, experiencing the light and dark of care and parenthood, the beauty of close-up details, love and hardship, and most importantly, the personal poetic truths of these mamas and artists. The Eye Mama book highlights the narrative of motherhood, allowing us to see for the first time in history through the eyes of mamas worldwide, because mama gaze matters!
The Eye Mama Project has been featured in National Geographic, Vogue, Stern, Romper, British Journal of Photography, Creative Review and more.
About the Author
Karni Arieli is a photographer and filmmaker of Israeli-British descent. A mother of two boys, she creates casual fantasy films and still pictures. Karni is one half of the directing duo Karni and Saul, BAFTA-nominated creators of music videos, commercials and short films. Under the name k & s, they have made films for Random Acts, Nowness, Film4 and the BBC. Karni also continues to work on the ongoing art/photography project, EYE MAMA, which features honest, candid motherhood from female photographers around the world. It has been featured in Vogue, Creative Review and the British Journal of Photography and now has over 25,000 submissions from 35 countries.
Industry Reviews
"The final result is stunning. A deeply moving visual feast, each image capturing the most recognizably intimate, the most fraught, the most gorgeously humdrum moment in the life of a mother, a family, a home." - romper
"Eye Mama is a global photography project conceived by Karni Arieli to document the varied experiences of home and family. Featuring the work of more than 200 female and non-binary artists, a book of the images is published by teNeues." - The Guardian
"A constellation of visions to remind us that motherhood comes in different forms and all of them are worthy of attention." - Vogue Italia
"We all have or had a mother. But does that mean we know how she thinks and feels? And what does she see? Here are heartbreaking and weird, tired, funny and above all honest looks from mothers into their everyday lives." - Der Spiegel
"...the shape of Eye Mama's motherhood is constantly changing, never still - it is one of intimacy and touch, of pride and of fear, of dirt and of holes, of play, of pain, of truthfulness, and of places one would not expect to get to." - PHMuseum
"Creating an inclusive depiction of motherhood and highlighting narratives of care is the goal of the Project." - Picter Blog
"A new book looks at the relationship between mothers and children, all through the eyes of female artists who are mothers themselves." - Wall Street Journal
Karni Arieli was interviewed by head of Global Photo Vogue, Alessia Glaviano. - Photo Vogue
"It collects refreshingly candid and aesthetically rich images of home life which were shared by parents during lockdown." - Aesthetica
"The online photography project goes physical to showcase a selection of newly submitted images that capture the breadth of motherhood." - Creative Review
"Eye Mama is a professional portfolio by photographers who happen to be looking at the topic of motherhood. That's never been done before, at least not to this scale." - WE ARE
"Eye Mama: a space for photography mothers to share their lockdown experience." - British Journal of Photography
""Eye Mama Project": intimate insights into motherhood - from the mothers themselves." - Stern
"Stress, love, joy-what mothers photographed during the pandemic." - National Geographic
Eye Mama launch at the Royal Photographic Society, Bristol, on 2nd June 2023. - Royal Photographic Society
"It's authentic, beautiful, inclusive, tender and visceral... Finally, the complex, personal experience of motherhood is explored, examined and celebrated in all its rich nuance." - Aesthetica
Posted on Instagram stories by Amanda de Cadenet - Instagram: Amanda de Cadenet
"The ecstasy and agony of motherhood is now captured in the 200-image photo book Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood (teNeues)." - All About Photo
Posted on Instagram stories by actress and filmaker Olivia Wilde - Instagram: Olivia Wilde
"Karni Arieli, about the book "Eye Mama" and the mother gaze in the photo" [translated using Google translate from Romanian] - Glamour Romania
"Eye Mama, the female gaze on motherhood that generates wonderful images." - Elle Italia
"Two years and nearly 50,000 submissions later, the ecstasy and agony of motherhood during the pandemic has been captured in the 200-image photo book Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood, published by teNeues." - Mother Mag
"Curated by Karni Arieli, Eye Mama brings together more than 150 images of modern-day motherhood. Here, she talks about "documenting the unseen narrative of motherhood." - Another Mag
Singer and actress Paloma Faith's Instagram Stories: "What a beautiful book!" - Instagram: Paloma Faith
"The Eye Mama book stands as a testament to the profound mama narrative and the unique mama gaze." - Photo Vogue
RPS promoted Eye Mama and Karni Arieli in their Women in Photography collaboration - RPS Women in Photography
The Eye Mama Project is a lovie finalist - winners announced 9th November 2023 - People's Lovie Awards
"To mother. Thank you @eyemamaproject for making this beautiful book in this heartbreaking world." - The Tiny Pricks Project on Instagram
""Eye Mama" is not just a book; it is a visual journey that transcends the conventional boundaries of motherhood and home. Created by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker and photographer Karni Arieli, this photographic portfolio captures the essence of the "mama gaze" through the lenses of more than 200 female and non-binary photographers worldwide." - Scimparello
"Eye Mama is a totem of truth amongst the "stereotypical romanticised representation of motherhood," that we are constantly bombarded with." - 5Eleven magazine
"An engaging conversation awaits as part of the festival's enriching program. Join us for a thought-provoking dialogue with Karni Arieli, a photographer and director, renowned for founding the transformative Eye Mama movement alongside several contributors of the Eye Mama book." - Vogue
Karni Arieli presents a slideshow and talk of the Eye Mama Project via Zoom for the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem. Zoom talk has been uploaded to YouTube. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDZZ9ULtUZ4 - Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem
Eye Mama project has been "recognized during this banner year for The Anthem Awards in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion - Social Media Content, Campaign or Channel: View Anthem Community Voice Category" - The Anthem Awards
"Curated by Karni Arieli, Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood, is an incredible collection of photographs from mothers all around the world." - Romper
"Arieli's curated edit of 200 photographs (of the 4,200 submissions she received) that beautifully consider the diverse shades of motherhood - all of which are axed on a prevailing duality: the loss of one's sense of self in place of another." - AnOther
Winner in the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards for Eye mama project in the Silver Anthem Winner for Social Media Content, Campaign or Channel - International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences
"Little details that build a bigger story of what it means to be a mama." - Early Childhood Matters
"Eye Mama is a ground-breaking global photography project giving voice to diverse artists and mothers that started during an unprecedented time. Founded in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, by photographer Karni Arieli, it invites anyone who identifies as a mother and photographer to document their intimate experiences of modern motherhood." - Mumble Forum
