Lola Arias's 'Lingua Madre' Explores Motherhood and Procreation in Bologna

Argentine multidisciplinary artist Lola Arias (born 1976) presented her theatrical work 'Lingua Madre' at Teatro Arena del Sole in Bologna from October 5 to 14, 2021. The documentary theater piece, part of the Atlas of Transitions project, investigates motherhood and procreation through eight chapters: Sexual Education, Abortion, Desire, Childbirth, Family, Birth Certificate, Reproductive Work, and Future Mother. Arias collected testimonies from the Bologna area, involving people of diverse backgrounds. The performance transforms a library into mutable spaces—a delivery room, dining room, cinema—using two cameras to project faces and dialogues. It features pop culture references like Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' and a Ka Mate dance with fake plastic bellies. The work addresses Catholic conservatism, social stereotypes, and experiences of migrant mothers, transgender mothers, lesbian mothers, adoptive mothers, teenage mothers, gay fathers, women who abort, and women who choose not to have children. Critic Alessandra Corsini notes that while the piece could have delved deeper into bureaucratic and economic obstacles, it serves as a starting point for social and political inquiry.