Artist Tom de Freston's latest exhibition, Poíēsis, features a collection of paintings that capture his wife Kiran Millwood Hargrave's journey through pregnancy, loss and ultimately, parenthood. The works, which include nude portraits of Millwood Hargrave at various stages of her pregnancies, showcase the artist's unique approach to exploring themes of love, loss and hope.
At the heart of Poíēsis is de Freston's fascination with the female figure, a subject he has been drawn to for years. However, unlike traditional depictions of women in art, Millwood Hargrave's portraits are not posed or eroticized, but rather, they capture the intimacy and vulnerability of their relationship.
De Freston's paintings are deeply personal, born out of his own experiences with grief and loss. After seven miscarriages, Millwood Hargrave finally gave birth to a daughter in 2023, and de Freston was overwhelmed by the experience. "She took a breath, and it instantly felt like the whole world unlocked," he recalls.
The works in Poíēsis are more than just paintings - they are rituals, spells, and prayers. They capture the magical thinking that occurs during pregnancy, particularly when there have been losses. De Freston's use of color, texture, and composition creates a sense of atmosphere and mood, drawing the viewer into the emotional world of the subjects.
Despite their intimate nature, the paintings do not feel exploitative or voyeuristic. Rather, they are a testament to de Freston's empathy and understanding of Millwood Hargrave as a person, rather than just a subject. The collaboration between artist and muse is evident in every brushstroke, every color choice.
In an era where exploration of pregnancy and miscarriage in art remains relatively rare, Poíēsis offers a unique and powerful vision of hope and resilience. It is a testament to the transformative power of love and loss, and a reminder that even in darkness, there is always the possibility for light.
At the heart of Poíēsis is de Freston's fascination with the female figure, a subject he has been drawn to for years. However, unlike traditional depictions of women in art, Millwood Hargrave's portraits are not posed or eroticized, but rather, they capture the intimacy and vulnerability of their relationship.
De Freston's paintings are deeply personal, born out of his own experiences with grief and loss. After seven miscarriages, Millwood Hargrave finally gave birth to a daughter in 2023, and de Freston was overwhelmed by the experience. "She took a breath, and it instantly felt like the whole world unlocked," he recalls.
The works in Poíēsis are more than just paintings - they are rituals, spells, and prayers. They capture the magical thinking that occurs during pregnancy, particularly when there have been losses. De Freston's use of color, texture, and composition creates a sense of atmosphere and mood, drawing the viewer into the emotional world of the subjects.
Despite their intimate nature, the paintings do not feel exploitative or voyeuristic. Rather, they are a testament to de Freston's empathy and understanding of Millwood Hargrave as a person, rather than just a subject. The collaboration between artist and muse is evident in every brushstroke, every color choice.
In an era where exploration of pregnancy and miscarriage in art remains relatively rare, Poíēsis offers a unique and powerful vision of hope and resilience. It is a testament to the transformative power of love and loss, and a reminder that even in darkness, there is always the possibility for light.
I've been through some tough times myself, you know like when u have a bad exam result 
or your favorite teacher leaves the school 
it's really hard to deal with. but what i love about de Freston's art is how he captures the intimacy and vulnerability of his relationship with Millwood Hargrave 
it feels so real and honest, like u can literally feel the emotions oozing outta the paintings 
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it's not always easy to talk about, but sometimes thats exactly what we need - a reminder that we're not alone 
. i'm defo going to check out this exhibition ASAP 
just had to share my thoughts on this exhibition... I mean, it's not every day you see an artist putting their own heart and soul into a piece like this. Tom de Freston has managed to capture something truly special with Kiran Millwood Hargrave - the way he's woven her story into these paintings is just masterful 
I gotta say, Tom de Freston's new exhibition Poíēsis is giving me ALL THE FEELS! The way he captures Kiran Millwood Hargrave's journey through pregnancy, loss and parenthood is so raw and honest. It's like you can feel the emotions pouring out of every brushstroke 
. And I love how he's not afraid to explore the darker side of life, but instead uses it as a catalyst for hope and resilience 
. The intimate nature of the paintings might make some people uncomfortable, but trust me, they're not exploitative - de Freston's got a deep understanding of his subject that shines through in every piece 
I think its really cool how Tom de Freston made art out of his own pain and struggles with losing babies while trying to get pregnant. It shows that our darkest moments can also be a source of creativity and inspiration 
. Its like when life hits us hard, but instead of letting it break us, we find ways to heal and create something beautiful from the pieces 
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and now she has this gorgeous daughter... i'm getting chills just thinking about it 
can't wait to see the pics of Kiran Millwood Hargrave in all her preggy glory 
. And can we talk about Kiran Millwood Hargrave's courage? I mean, seven miscarriages?! She's an inspiration, tbh 
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. I love how he captures the intimacy of his relationship with Kiran Millwood Hargrave - it's not all posed and perfect, it's real 
. I'm not sure how artists can capture the emotions so well without making you feel uncomfortable or weird 
. These paintings are more like rituals and prayers - they're meant to make you feel all the feels! 
"The most painful moments can become the seeds of the greatest joys" 
! he's really capturing the emotional depth of Kiran Millwood Hargrave's journey through pregnancy, loss, and parenthood. i love how his paintings aren't posed or eroticized, it's so refreshing to see a female figure depicted with intimacy and vulnerability 
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, I'm also noticing how de Freston is using negative space to create this sense of atmosphere and mood. it's like you can feel the emotions radiating from the canvases