Bobba Knows Best

For the first time ever, the curators have crowd-sourced intimate photographs of grandmothers, taken with love, for an exhibition. This exhibition is a reflection of the strong bond that exists between grandmothers and their grandchildren. It is through these unique bonds that life lessons and age-old traditions are passed down.

The diversity and origins of these traditions are reflected in the different names for grandmother. Every generation calls their grandmothers by different names: Granny, Savta, Bobba. The names may change, but each is synonymous with the nurturing matriarch.

Everyone has two biological grandmothers, maternal (mother’s mother) and paternal (father’s mother). If you are lucky, your grandmother is someone you get to know well. If you are a Holocaust survivor, chances are, your children never met their grandmother. Perhaps the child was told: “your grandmother died in the war” – spared the reality until their mature years. Thus, the community has a generation of grandmothers who did not themselves experience having a grandmother.

Grandmothers represent the link between generations and the bearers of stories, traditions, lessons and values. In many cultures grandmothers wield influence and authority; their advice is followed as a sign of respect and loyalty.

These images reveal the depth of matriarchal devotion to those they cherish and convey the joy of relationships removed from the complexities of parenting. From the grandchild’s perspective, grandparents represent fun outings and unconditional love.