World's Motherway by Bea Nettles

Bea Nettles: "During my travels to cemeteries, I have photographed thousands of last names on gravestones that are parts of speech. With these words I have created books that investigate language, history, and some of life’s events. Gathering these names it became apparent how difficult it would be to tell women’s stories, as most of the occupations and many of the physical characteristics that feature as surnames reflect our patriarchal method of naming. In the English language, names with the suffix son or man abound. I have selected three surnames that are traditionally women’s first names: Eve, Judy, and Hester.
"Motherhood was the common link I found in each story plus a degree of guilt, blame or shame, which I have tried to address in this interpretation. 'Worlds Motherway'came from Adam’s naming of Eve as the 'mother of all the living.'"