Wikimedia Commons photograph of family portrait, mother and child.
How do emerging technologies change how we make images, who gets represented in them, and how we see ourselves as a society? Long before digital cameras, smartphones, and AI image generators transformed visual culture, early photography presented revealing challenges about social visibility and erasure.
The exhibition Hidden Mothers examines a fascinating practice from the nineteenth century. Early cameras required subjects to remain completely motionless—sometimes for several minutes—to capture a clear image. Young children needed someone to hold them steady throughout these lengthy exposures. Since these handlers were not the focus of the portrait, they often attempted to camouflage themselves by draping their bodies in dark cloth or positioning themselves behind furniture. The result was eerie, ghost-like figures that have become known as "hidden mothers"—spectral presences appearing alongside the perfectly posed children.
On the surface, these portraits capture treasured images of children from an era when societies were beginning to advocate against child labor and recognize the significance of childhood amid prevailingly high infant mortality rates. But at the same time, for contemporary artists and scholars looking back at these figures, the "hidden mother" powerfully represents the cultural erasure of women and domestic labor, both historically and in the present day. Though meant to vanish from the frame, the presence of these figures is often insistently revealed through dark draped shapes, partial silhouettes, and faint outlines at the photograph's edges. The vital role played by the "hidden mothers" ensured that this lasting record of their work survived despite efforts to erase it.
These images also reveal layers of complexity beyond the mother-child relationship. Photographic evidence suggests that the same person may have served as the "hidden mother" for portraits of multiple families. As such, the hands supporting these children may not have always belonged to their mothers—studio assistants or hired caregivers likely stepped into this role as well. By examining these photographs closely, we can trace how motherhood existed within a broader community of care and labor, all of which was carefully edited out of the final versions of these family portraits.
Many historical oval frames and mats survive that would have concealed the "hidden mothers" when families initially exhibited these photographs. Just as decorative framing was intended to mask these maternal figures in the final product, photographers also cropped prints into oval portraits to eliminate them from the margins. Today, however, these photographs are often displayed using contemporary conventions that present the complete, uncropped image, raising complex questions about context and interpretation. Does centering these hidden figures by removing the photographer's original framing erase the artist's intended design? Is it appropriate for modern audiences to view and interpret these images in ways fundamentally different from their creators' vision?
This exhibition offers an opportunity to examine both a historic moment in photographic technology and to consider ourselves, reflecting on how today's perspective shapes what we see when we look at the past. What do our interpretations of the shadowy figures supporting another era's children reveal about our assumptions regarding motherhood, labor, and visibility in the digital age?
Curated by Adam Kleinman and Joe Rowley. With special thanks to Akershus Museum & The Mathiesen Collection/Linderud Manor, Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum and Aust-Agder Museum & Archive.
Hidden Mothers is one of three rotating mini-exhibitions complementing Liv Bugge's solo show Umbilical Fire. All four exhibitions are created by and presented at Kunsthall Trondheim in the context of the Hannah Ryggen Triennale 2025. The 2025 edition of the Triennale collectively explores the theme of "mater" (Latin for mother and root of words like "matter" and "material") across Trondheim art institutions, connecting concepts of motherhood and custody to the production of cultural heritage and materiality itself. Initiated by Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, the collaborative Triennale program includes dedicated presentations at Dropsfabrikken, Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst (K-U-K), Trondheim kunstmuseum, Trøndelag senter for samtidskunst, and Ørland/Bjugn Kunstforening as well as at Kunsthall Trondheim.
The mini-exhibitions are supported by Bergesenstiftelsen, Fritt Ord and Sparebankstiftelsen – SMN.