In Jewish tradition, placing a small stone on a grave is a quiet act of remembrance and a gesture of respect. It speaks of a visit made, a love that still lingers, and it honors the one who is lost. Flowers will wither and drift away, but like memory itself, the stone remains—solid, steadfast—and is a symbol of something everlasting.
These mothers’ stories are their stones. Though their children never lived in this world, they existed and will never be forgotten.
Every year, more than 20,000 pregnancies, or 1 out of every 175, are lost at 20 weeks or later (National Institutes of Health, 2023). The NIH still decries stillbirths as a “major public health concern” in the United States, yet unlike many of our peer countries where stillbirth rates have fallen significantly over the last twenty years, the rates in the U.S. have fallen by less than 10%. Despite this knowledge, there continues to be a reluctance in the U.S. to discuss the issue openly, with some people afraid that merely mentioning the word “stillbirth” might make it a reality.
Movement matters. Educate yourself and ask questions. Trust your instinct. Speak up and advocate for yourself and those you love, because preventable stillbirth is real and there are things we can do.
For more on this project, maternal health, and stillbirth resources, please visit nancyborowick.com
Artist Bios
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Nancy Borowick
Nancy Borowick is an internationally renowned photographer, author, teacher, and speaker, bringing her personal stories to universities, hospitals, oncology units, and community groups globally.
Nancy is a Sony Artisan of Imagery and a graduate of the International Center of Photography. She has told the intimate stories of people and places from every corner of the globe, winning her major accolades and awards such as World Press Photo, Pictures of the Year International, and most recently, the Humanitarian Award from the organization Women That Soar for her photography and recent monograph, The Family Imprint.
Over the last decade, Nancy has narrowed the focus of her work, telling stories of health, struggle, and personal relationships, using compassion, humility, and trust as tools to connect with her subjects and explore their lives. Her work has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, National Geographic, NPR, Time magazine, CNN, Bloomberg, Stern magazine, and the Wall Street Journal.
Originally from New York, Nancy resides on the island of St. John in the USVI with her husband, two sons, and island dog Einstein.
Organizations
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Photoville
Founded in 2011 in Brooklyn, NY, Photoville was built on the principles of addressing cultural equity and inclusion, which we are always striving for, by ensuring that the artists we exhibit are diverse in gender, class, and race.
In pursuit of its mission, Photoville produces an annual, city-wide open air photography festival in New York City, a wide range of free educational community initiatives, and a nationwide program of public art exhibitions.
By activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and creating unique and highly innovative exhibition and programming environments, we join the cause of nurturing a new lens of representation.
Through creative partnerships with festivals, city agencies, and other nonprofit organizations, Photoville offers visual storytellers, educators, and students financial support, mentorship, and promotional & production resources, on a range of exhibition opportunities.
For more information about Photoville visit, www.photoville.com
The Loss Mother’s Stone
Featuring: Nancy Borowick
Curated by: Sarah Leen
Supported by:
Locations
View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Explore other locations and exhibitions nearby
For more on this project, maternal health and stillbirth resources, please visit nancyborowick.com.
The views and opinions expressed in this exhibit are those of the exhibition artists and partners and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Photoville or any other participants and partners of the Photoville Festival.
