I am a mother. I am a woman.

Aneta Jezkova
Apr 30
4 min read

A photographic dialogue between motherhood and oneself.

In a mansion whose elegance is slowly fading but has not disappeared, I invited women to stop for a moment. To remain fully in their own time – maternal, feminine, personal – in a space that remembers other times.

Peeling walls, light falling obliquely through historic windows, cracked parquet floors.

Against the backdrop of the noble past, the present emerged – as it is: quiet, tired, shining, true. The space of the chateau became a backdrop, but also a mirror – a subtle counterpart to the inner world of women who are mothers, while remaining themselves.

What is it like to be a mom and not lose yourself?

Are we one and the same person – or two different ones?

Each of us knows moments when we are all for our children. And each of us also knows those moments when we remind ourselves that we are still ourselves. This photography project was created as a silent invitation to stop.

I invited five women – mothers – to allow themselves to be present for a moment in their dual roles. Mother. Woman. Two faces of the same self. The photoshoot took place on two levels: One captures the relationship between mother and children – the nature of their being together. The other looks inward. Into the silence. Into a world where a woman is only with herself. At the same time, I asked each of the women two questions:

Who are you when you are with your children?

Who are you when you're alone?

Their answers are not definitions, but touches.

Fragments of what it means to be whole. Sometimes delicate, sometimes tired, sometimes strong and radiant. And yet still the same.

This photoshoot brought me more than I expected. In the light that reflected from the old windows, I could watch how the children blossomed in the presence of their mothers. How their bodies relaxed, how they laughed, how they were themselves – without masks, without the need to adapt. They were happy. Just because their mother was near. And in those moments, photographs were created that are not just portraits, but silent poems about safety, about flowing, about what happens where the mother is. Where the woman is too – in wholeness, in peace, in returning to herself.

This cycle is a thank you to all women who are looking for a balance between the role of mother and their own quiet self. It is about the fact that motherhood does not have to be a loss of self. But a return to self differently. Deeper. More truthful.

Aneta Ježková , author of the project

Two Selves

KATKA (mother of Jakub, 7, and Eliška, 5)

When I’m with my children:I’m cheerful, often their entertainer, sometimes their referee. I feel joy, gratitude, but also frustration – because I don’t have everything under control. It’s a kaleidoscope of emotions that shifts every second.

When I’m alone:I seek peace and a way back to myself. I retreat into books and reflect on what I truly want – not only as a mother, but as a woman. These moments give me the strength to return to my children as the kind of mom who’s fun to be around.

ELIŠKA (mother of Ella, 5, and Olík, 2)

When I’m with myself:It brings me back to who I am. I tune into my own needs, desires, and dreams. I learn new things and grow in ways that bring me joy. I am just me – in that moment – and I remind myself that stillness and quiet also have value. I try to live fully and find joy in the little things, just like I do when I’m with them.

When I’m with my children:I am their mom. I am their safety. I try to sense their needs, wishes, and dreams, support what fulfills them, and pass on the best I know. I teach them to enjoy the little things – and through them, I’m relearning that myself.

ANDREA (mother of Thea, 4, and Max, 4 months)

When I’m with my children:I’m a unicorn with octopus arms. I try to do it all – take care of everyone’s needs without forgetting my own. I play with them in ways that support their development. And when I can’t anymore, I put on Netflix and just sit and watch. I’ve been trying to find balance – between it all – for years now.

When I’m alone:I’m myself in all forms. Most organized when I’m working or consumed by a project. Most lazy when I lie in bed all day eating junk food. And most indulgent – collecting moments with my partner and friends, enjoying good food, beautiful places, and the kinds of activities that recharge me.

SYLVIE (mother of twins Jasmínka and Bárník, 3 years old)

When I’m with my children:I am their love – that’s what they often tell me. I am a peaceful, safe, and steady harbor, a guide and a mother who brings them back to safety when needed. I teach them that crying is not a weakness, and that it’s okay to accept help – just as it is to give it.

When I’m alone:At first, I feel free, but it quickly turns into emptiness. I miss them. I’m with them almost all the time, and without them, it’s like I’ve lost a part of myself. But when I am alone, I escape into baking, planning, organizing – into things where every detail has its place.

LUCIE (mother of Maruška, 3 years old)

When I’m with Maruška:I am, above all, a mother. Since the moment she was born, my being has revolved around her – I am here whenever she needs me, and even when she doesn’t, I want to be near. Time with her flies by. She’s growing and changing before my eyes. And I want to be there for it.

When I’m alone:I’m still my old self – like when I was twenty. Just with a deeper perspective and a new strength that came with motherhood.