Birth as art?

Any day now, a woman in New York will be delivering her baby in front of a live audience.

Marni Kotak is taking her performance art to a new level, allowing an audience to join her in an ad-hoc birthing room at a Brooklyn gallery.

“I hope that people will see that human life itself is the most profound work of art, and that therefore giving birth, the greatest expression of life, is the highest form of art,” she told the Village Voice.

I completely agree that birth is natural and beautiful and magical and all those things. When I had my first daughter, I thought, “Oh, my gosh. I am the most amazing woman in the world. No one is more incredible than I am and no baby was ever more wonderful than this baby. Why is everyone going about their business like the most remarkable event in the history of mankind did not just happen? I am Mother! Hear me roar!”

That may also have been the drugs talking. Who knows.

But in addition to being beautiful and mind-blowing, birth is also sacred. I’ve shown my birthing video to a few close friends, but I’m not about to put it on YouTube so everyone can watch every lovely and not-so-lovely (you know what I’m talking about moms) moment of it.

I just can’t embrace the idea that bringing a life into the world is a center stage event. It is a private event.

Sure it may not feel private when you’ve got everyone with a nametag coming in to check your dilation every five minutes. But the moment that little life enters the world, something happens that bonds mom, dad, baby and God together. It’s powerful — and it’s sacred.

What do you think of birth as performance art? Is it something we should all watch and rejoice in together, or is it a private moment?

Erin Stewart is a regular blogger for Deseret News. From stretch marks to the latest news for moms, Stewart discusses it all while her 4-year-old daughter crams Mr. Potato Head pieces in her little sister’s nose.