Tate Papers launch

‘No babies, no boobs, no bumps’: Lyndsay Mann in conversation with Calum Neill, with an introduction by Ruth Bretherick.

Tate Papers, no. 37: Mother Lines, Ed. Lisa Stein,

Issue 37 of the journal ‘Tate Papers’ launched in London on 22 April 2026 at Tate Modern.

‘No babies, no boobs, no bumps’ is an article about my film As You Were (2024). The introduction is written by Ruth Bretherick. Her text expands on ideas from the film to situate these both within my larger practice, and a feminist lineage of works addressing pregnancy and birth. The article continues with an edited transcript of a conversation between myself and Calum Neill, which took place during a weekend of screenings of the film at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh in March 2025. The article is illustrated with excerpts from my film alongside images of works by artists Mary Kelly, Catherine Elwes, Susan Hiller, and Louise Bourgeois. Read the full article here.

Dr Ruth Bretherick is Curator of Research and Public Engagement at Fruitmarket, Edinburgh.
Calum Neill is Professor of Psychoanalysis and Continental Philosophy at Edinburgh Napier University.

I would like to thank Calum for his sensitive engagement with the film and thoughtful observations during our conversation. Thank you to Ruth for her rich introduction that positions As You Were in such inspiring company and for all her care in bringing this conversation to print. Warm thanks also to Fruitmarket for hosting such an inclusive, supported event.
A huge thank you also to editor Lisa Stein and research assistant Rebecka Kann at Tate Research for their warmth and attentiveness throughout.

Mother Lines:

“The articles in this issue explore transgenerational connections and ancestral knowledge in art. Developed in collaboration with Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational, Mother Lines reflects Tate’s wider programme, focusing on artists who centre modes of embodied and ancestral knowledge primarily passed on through women. In seeking to restore relationships to histories and environments, the practices explored in this issue resist cultural and spiritual erasure.
Alongside traditional research articles and artist interviews, the issue includes contributions by practice-researchers that reveal a range of disciplinary approaches to the themes examined.”

Read ‘No babies, no boobs, no bumps’ and other articles from this issue here

THE JOURNAL: Tate Papers is a peer-reviewed online journal and research platform focusing on art, its history and museum practice. Published twice a year, the journal reflects the breadth of Tate’s collection, exhibition programme and activities, but submissions to Tate Papers do not need to refer to Tate or to works in its collection. Tate Papers aims to showcase a range of disciplinary approaches to the study of art and museums, and welcomes new and experimental ways of participating in research. Peer-reviewed formats include text-based ​articles, practice-based research, video essays and interactive digital experiences.