‘Ode to the Mother’ is the second release from the Art on the Underground Writer in Residence Anthony Okolie. Inspired by ‘Rebirth of a Nation’ an artwork currently on display at Brixton Underground station until winter 2024 by artist Jem Perucchini.
‘Ode to the Mother’ will be installed on the platform of St James’s Park Underground Station as an artwork poster, launching February 22nd 2024 and on view for one year.
Anthony explained that the ‘the tale of the Ivory Bangle Lady conjured the notion of the strong women and mothers often taken for granted and seldom acknowledged as much as they could be.’
Anthony is a London-based creative writer and filmmaker and has worked at TfL for 6 years. Anthony’s artistic style takes inspiration from many sources, including history, psychology and the wonder he finds in the so-called ‘mundane’ aspects of everyday life. Anthony takes pride in portraying as much authenticity and realism in his art, highlighting the different perspectives of people going through similar if not the same routines and emotions.
The Art on the Underground Writer in Residence is a creative opportunity for a TfL staff member to develop their writing by working with TfL’s contemporary art programme Art on the Underground over a period of six months.
The Writer in Residence programme aims to highlight and amplify the creative voices within TfL, creating engaging responses to Art on the Underground’s ongoing programme.
ODE TO THE MOTHER
Saviour Her Equality/Her Equality Ruler,
All hail the almighty creator,
The homemaker,
Hence why, ‘Mother Nature’,
The law of attraction creates infinite life,
Divine feminine, named as the wife,
Unlimited wisdom as a matter of fact,
She can stroke my ego all the way back,
Her sweet voice sings away the blues,
Size 5 but that isn’t why you couldn’t walk in her shoes,
On long wintry mornings, her will never fails,
Through the darkest summers, she somehow prevails,
The cool breeze tempts the leaves,
Tall black trees, rooted in glory,
Bloody cycles of pain she endures to alibi his story,
A happy bereavement deep within.
She raises men,
Soft and cuddly, foremost point of reference,
Incomparable, she can’t be venerated by a single sentence,
Not to mention, walking in the snow,
Looking at the stars to know, we’re connected via soul,
For unforgettable memories, I’m Nat King Cole,
You give me the sense to have it all.
Anthony Okolie – Art on the Underground Staff Writer in Residence
