Mother of Exiles, created to celebrate the centennial of the Statue of Liberty, marked Indiana's return to the intaglio process. In an interview with Susan Ryan Indiana explained that “the idea had been germinating for about a year. More than likely it had been a lot longer—Coenties Slip [where the artist lived from 1956 to 1965] is three blocks from the ferry terminal for Bedloe’s (now Liberty) Island. I saw it going and coming every day.” [1]
Indiana had a long artistic involvement with cultural icons and a fascination with the American Dream. In the print he refers to Liberty as “La dame de Bedloe” and “Mother of Exiles.” The latter, which is also the work’s title, comes from Emma Lazarus’ sonnet “The New Colossus,” which is inscribed on a plaque inside the Statue of Liberty. The print’s design incorporates recognizable symbols from his work, such as stars, stenciled letters, and the tilted O of his famous LOVE image. Liberty is also bare-breasted, which brings to mind the image of his mother in his diptych Mother and Father (1963–66).
With Mother of Exiles Indiana joins in the birthday commemorations, but evokes melancholy more than hope by calling attention to the commercialization of Liberty’s image as well as his disillusionment with the political climate. Instead of holding a torch to welcome immigrants Liberty sheds a tear, a response to both the harsh reasons some left their native countries and the complexities of the not always welcoming American experience. Indiana stressed this sentiment in his interview with Ryan, explaining “I think Liberty has a great deal to cry for.” [2]
[1] Susan Elizabeth Ryan, "An Artist Is an Artist," Artists in Maine 1 (Fall–Winter 1986), p. 33.
[2] Ibid., p. 34