The Table of Pregnant Women, concrete and iron (copyright 1990, Xicu Cabanyes. All Rights Reserved.)

Currently in Catalunya and inspired by an earlier post here, I have decided to revisit the fascinating sculptures of Xicu Cabanyes found in Catalunya’s Can Ginebreda Forest.  I hope to visit the forest personally sometime soon and will update this post with more photos if I do (photos here are from Can Ginebreda’s website). As I discussed in my earlier post, the open air park in which Cabanyes’ sculptures are found provides pregnant women with a special space in which they may meditate on their pregnancies, visualizing the births of their babies through the beautiful artwork they naturally encounter while walking. 

In Cabanyes’ The Table of Pregnant Women, relatively small figurines depicting seven very pregnant women rest atop a table.  Five of the women appear to be resting or possibly laboring, lying in a semi-circle around the other two women, one of whom reclines on a box, the other of whom stands looking up to the sky with one hand on her belly.  All of the women exude feelings of calmness and sensuality to their viewers.  The natural setting of the forest enhances the naturalness of their pregnant bodies.

Cabanyes’ placement of this work on a low stone table suggests that the artist may even have envisioned how his pregnant viewers could seat themselves comfortably around the artwork to meditate on its figurines.  Regardless of his intention, however, the decision to present the work in this particular way provides for a brilliant way to visualize birth.  Pregnant women who wish to utilize these pictures of Cabanyes’ work in the visualizination of birth might also envision that they are within the peaceful setting of the Can Ginebreda Forest.

More of Cabanyes’ work may be seen on the Can Ginebreda website.