M.Other Body, by Vienna-based multidisciplinary artist and cultural anthropologist Anna Riess, is a publication in which concept, design, and materiality are inseparable. Blurring the boundaries between artist book, visual essay and intimate journal, it explores the shifting realities of motherhood through photography, personal writing and thoughtful design, creating a publication that is as tactile as it is emotionally resonant.
Born from a deeply personal and vulnerable creative process, M.Other Body reflects Riess’ exploration of what it means to exist simultaneously as artist and mother
Rather than presenting motherhood as a fixed identity, the book embraces it as an ongoing transformation. One that reshapes the body, relationships, creativity, and the self. Through an interplay of photographs by Elodie Grethen and Riess’ personal texts, the publication opens an honest conversation about embodiment, intimacy, identity and becoming.
Throughout her artistic practice, Riess investigates embodiment, emotion and interbodily relationships using materials such as clay, textiles and metal. Deeply influenced by her own experience of motherhood, she transforms everyday objects into symbolic forms — a gesture she describes as the “nippelization of the everyday.” M.Other Body extends this artistic language into print, allowing words and photographs to echo one another in a quiet yet powerful dialogue.
Deeply influenced by her own experience of motherhood, she transforms everyday objects into symbolic forms — a gesture she describes as the “nippelization of the everyday.”
The physical production of the publication reinforces these themes with carefully considered material choices
The book’s cover is printed on Clairbook 240 g/m², offering a substantial tactile introduction that immediately conveys permanence and care. Inside, the pages continue on Clairbook 150 g/m², whose natural surface and warm appearance complement the softness and honesty of the photography while providing an inviting reading experience. The publication is wrapped in an additional outer cover made from Koehler Eco® Clay 150 g/m², adding another layer of protection and symbolism. Its earthy tone and recycled character reflect the publication’s themes of materiality, transformation, and the intimate connection between body and environment.
These carefully selected papers become more than technical specifications. They actively contribute to the reading experience. The uncoated surfaces encourage a slower, more tactile interaction with the book, inviting readers to engage with the images and texts through both sight and touch. Materiality becomes part of the narrative, echoing the vulnerability, warmth, and physicality explored throughout the publication.
These carefully selected papers become more than technical specifications. They actively contribute to the reading experience. The uncoated surfaces encourage a slower, more tactile interaction with the book, inviting readers to engage with the images and texts through both sight and touch.
Beautifully designed by Katharina Griesbacher-Tafner, with typography by Irmi Benezeder, M.Other Body demonstrates how thoughtful editorial design can support deeply personal storytelling without overwhelming it. Every design decision leaves space for reflection, allowing the emotional weight of the photographs and texts to unfold naturally. The result is a publication that feels intimate, generous, and quietly powerful. As conversations around motherhood are becoming increasingly nuanced, M.Other Body offers an important artistic perspective — one that embraces complexity rather than certainty. You can purchase your own copy at Softcover.
Images © Softcover