Five Centimeters Dilated, soft pastel on paper
Copyright 2023, Loie Hollowell. All Rights Reserved

Returning to the work of Loie Hollowell, a New York based artist who has worked on the topics of pregnancy, labor, birth, and mothering over the past five years, Visualizing Birth explores Five Centimeters Dilated, one of a series of ten works devoted to the cervix’s dilation during labor (see also our previous post: Visualizing Pregnancy in the work of Loie Hollowell).

Using colors that are both soft and bold, as well as round and circular shapes, Hollowell’s Dilation series creates images that both represent the look and the feel of the dilating cervix during labor. Pregnant women who are in their third trimesters and approaching labor can look at Hollowell’s images and visualize the process of dilation taking place in their own bodies. Especially for women who are past their due dates, these artworks may provide powerful representations through which to utilize for the purposes of visualizing the opening of the cervix. This visualization process may in turn aid in kickstarting physiological dilation.

In Five Centimeters Dilated, the cervix appears plump and ripe as it moves towards full dilation. The bold red circle at the center brings the viewer’s attention to a sense of fullness as the newborn prepares to emerge and the birthing process takes place.

More of Loie Hollowell’s works may be seen on her website or through the Pace Gallery.