Art Exhibition
Curatorial Statement
The diversity represented in this exhibition reflects the far-reaching
impact of breast cancer. The exhibition includes work from individuals
diagnosed with breast cancer, their family members, and dear friends.
Works range from the political to the personal, from the celebration of
life to the processing of profound loss. Some of the participants are seasoned,
award-winning artists while others have newly discovered the transformative
power of art, employing it as a vehicle for healing and growth for the
first time. With each unique perspective comes extraordinary vision and
courage. These works collectively contribute to the chorus of voices of
those impacted by the disease and continue the legacy of bringing the very
human elements of breast cancer to the forefront of the symposium.
—
Catherine Saiki
Artist Biographies
African American Task Group and Contra Costa Breast Cancer Partnership
The Contra Costa Breast Cancer Partnership's African American Task
Group responded to an urgent need to reach African American women with
early detection, screening, survivorship, and community resource information.
The calendar project, "Celebrate! Reflections Beyond Surviving," is
a culturally competent breast cancer education project designed to encourage
and inspire African American women to perform monthly breast self-exams,
to have annual clinical breast exams or mammograms, and to access community
services. The twenty-one month calendar features African American breast
cancer survivors depicted as role models, leading active, productive, and
healthy lives because of early detection and access to community resources.
Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbaar
"Personal Touch" is the story of a young woman's memory of her
mother's experience with breast cancer. The film is a bold peek into
the often-silent world of the daughters of women who have passed away from
breast cancer. Aminah Abdul-Jabbaar decided to make this film after she
found a lump in her own breast as way to confront her own fears surrounding
a potential diagnosis, and to help her cope with her mother's death.
The film won the Liddel Art Award from the Ann Arbor Film Festival in 2000
and has appeared on PBS's Fine Cut Series. In 2002, the film screened
in the LUNAFEST Breast Cancer Tour. Abdul-Jabbaar currently teaches broadcasting
and cinema courses at West
LA College.
"Personal Touch", Aminah Bakeer Abdul-Jabbaar
Nell Angelo
In 1998 Nell Angelo underwent a mastectomy. One year later, she began experiencing
anniversary-related reactions and was inspired to begin a series of works,
which would explore the impact of having been diagnosed with, and treated
for, breast cancer. While initially concerned with the more formal elements
of her photography, the barriers soon gave way to more personal work,
infused with emotion and saturated with color. She was keenly aware of
the multi-layered nature of each image; for example, many could simultaneously
be seen as deadly serious, comical, and lushly beautiful.
As she further acclimated to life following diagnosis, her focus broadened to include more general body image issues. The photograph of her friend and collaborator, Kay, entitled, "Kay With Oranges" is a portrait from this series.
Stefanie J. Atkinson
Stefanie Atkinson is a professional photographer with a background in motion
graphic design and art direction for television and film. She is the
recipient of an Emmy Award and numerous Broadcast Design Association
awards. In 2002 Atkinson met Angela Padilla, Angela's partner,
Amy, and their recently adopted baby, Bella. Angela had just been diagnosed
with breast cancer and she asked Atkinson to document her journey through
treatment to recovery. For the past year, Atkinson has been a quiet witness
to intimate, frightening, and precious moments of Angela's journey,
including the celebration of Bella's first birthday. The photograph "Trinity" is
a glimpse of Angela with her family before surgery. "Prayer," was
taken at Glide Church in between chemotherapy treatments, and "Reflection" is
an image of Angela following radiation treatment, facing herself and
her fear that the cancer may return.
"Prayer", Stefanie Atkinson
Anne Bement
"I remember the day as though it was yesterday. After months of meditating
and healing following my mastectomy, I felt I was able once again to meet
the world...not without fear, but with the knowledge that each day would
be more valuable than any day that came before I learned I had breast cancer.
It is that moment of intense, private recognition that I wanted to express
in this photograph; I was rejoining the outer world with optimism and hope." It
is with a keen eye and careful application of oils, dyes, inks, and acrylics
onto the surface of silver prints that Anne Bement has achieved her highly
individualized style. She has exhibited locally, as well as nationally,
and her work resides in numerous private and public collections, including
the San Francisco Public Library.
Sally Blevins
Sally Blevins began painting "ENOUGH!!" when she counted and
realized that over thirty of her friends had been diagnosed with breast
cancer, and most had undergone mastectomies. The painting served as an
outlet for Blevins' frustrations and anger surrounding breast cancer
and its ravaging effects. The woman in the painting is holding her hand
up both in defiance of the disease and also as a plea for help to end the
epidemic. "Her other hand," according to Blevins, "covers
where her breast once was, but which now is merely her wounded heart".
After the completion of the painting, Sally learned of the unexpected loss
of yet another close friend from breast cancer. In frustration, Blevins
returned to the painting and added the blood pouring from the wound in
her own heart as well as that of the woman portrayed in the painting.
Breast Art, courtesy of UC Davis, Denise Dalton, and contributing artists
Unique pieces of wearable "Breast Art" are on display and worn
by cancer survivors attending the exhibition. The artwork, worn over places
of trauma, represents a symbol of courage and life. The original project,
conceived of by co-curators Denise Dalton, a breast cancer survivor, and
Roxanne O'Brien, was developed to raise money for breast cancer research
and to open new doors of self-expression for women diagnosed with the disease.
These works were created to be part of a woman's attire as a fashion
accessory, adornment, and statement. Frankie Hansbearry, one the original
participating artists, created "Hand and Heart".
The work of art was created in the shape of a hand to express self-nurturing and vulnerability. Hansbearry mused that while the sculpture was an exercise in patience (it is meticulously covered with a design using brilliant, indigo-blue beads) it was a work of art that truly evolved on its own.
Anita Bowen
Nava Frank invited Anita Bowen into her life when she was first diagnosed
with Stage IV breast cancer. Nava's mother died of the same disease
when she was an infant. Bowen's role was to act as a witness to
her struggle and also to provide a creative outlet for her experiences
with breast cancer. Nava would call Bowen with an idea and off they would
go with camera in tow. Together they explored themes such as body image,
sexuality, spirituality, and illness. Later, as her illness progressed,
she asked Bowen to join her during the numerous hospital visits. Bowen
writes, "I felt extremely honored and privileged to record and
witness Nava's life…If the photograph can act as a vehicle
for growth or understanding, especially in the human endeavor to survive,
I could not wish for anything more."
Sofia Carmi
Sofia Carmi was born in Jerusalem and moved to the United States when she
was 6 years old. Knowing very early on that she wanted to pursue art
professionally, she earned her B.A. from Ontario College of Art in Toronto.
She is a strong believer in the healing power of artistic expression,
and sees creativity as magic of the soul. "Musical Torso" captures
both the joy of living and the sorrow of physical pain that can often
accompany life. It draws inspiration from her relationship with her mother,
who was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Carmi has exhibited
in the United States and Europe.
Rosalie Ann Cassell
Rosalie Ann Cassell worked on these watercolor and ink images to keep herself
calm and hopeful during her intense and terrifying period of diagnosis
and treatment for breast cancer in 1989. Although she never envisioned
that anyone else would see these personal works, they have been widely
exhibited and published. She is continually amazed at the response they
have received. Cassell has found that when times get tough, confusing,
and frightening, working artistically is invaluable not only as part
of the healing process, but as a journey in and of itself.
Lauren Davies
In 2001, Lauren Davies was diagnosed with a recurrence of breast cancer. "Sampler",
a record of her personal and trying journey is a contemporary version of
the old style needlepoint sampler that typically featured inspirational
quotes or affirmations surrounded by decorative flowers. Her contemporary
sampler presents a quote from writer Edna O'Brien that resonates
with her own experience, "The body contains the life story just as
much as the brain." Surrounding the text are rosettes made from her
hospital bandages. Dried, dark red bloodstains left on the bandages are
suggestive of rose blossoms. Created initially for her eyes only, "Sampler" remains
the only piece that Lauren has created about her experience with breast
cancer."
Amelia Davis
Amelia Davis is a professional photographer based in San Francisco. Her
work has been featured in magazines, textbooks and numerous solo and
group exhibitions. The First Look is a bold collection of portraits of,
and essays by, women living, postoperatively, with breast cancer. It
has won two awards since it was published in 2000. Davis embarked upon
the project in honor of her mother's journey through breast cancer
treatment. The photographs, capturing the resilience of the human spirit,
empower women facing surgery with a direct and honest look at life after
diagnosis.
Victoria Andrea Doria
In "The Goddess of Heart", Victoria Andrea Doria explores the
beauty, vitality, and voluptuousness of a woman who has undergone a mastectomy.
She considers the piece to be a modern interpretation of the Greek classic
sculpture. The mosaic work decorating the figure was created using a reverse
application process; rather than placing the glass pieces on top, they
are carefully embedded as part of the original casting. Using a complex
process involving gypsum, resins, Italian glass, and patina, Doria uses
the human figure to portray expressions of comfort, abundance and love.
Marilee Ford
When Marilee Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was in the midst
of obtaining her masters degree at JFK University. The focus of the program
was on the transformative power of art. Externalizing her experiences
through creative means (painting, sculpting, and writing among them)
enabled her to heal from the trauma of it. As a Hospice Nurse, she also
offers classes to health care personnel who wish to explore alternative
means of healing. "New Body" reflects the postoperative changes
that her body has undergone, "I am now a member of the one-breasted
warrior clan. There is beauty there, and in that beauty can be found
healing."
"New Body", Marilee Ford
Sylvia Colette Gehres
Sylvia Colette Gehres started her first life-drawing class two years before
breast cancer diagnosis. Despite undergoing a series of treatments—a
lumpectomy followed shortly by a mastectomy, then chemotherapy and radiation—she
remained committed to creating her art. It was during support meetings
at The Wellness Community that she realized art was her true passion.
She is grateful that these years have provided her with the needed time
to create these works of art. She acknowledges that, in a strange way,
cancer was the catalyst for the gift of art in her life. Gehres has since
exhibited nationally, as well as internationally, participating in shows
as far reaching as Hong Kong.
Susan Gray
The name of the work, "Raging Light", is taken from the Dylan
Thomas poem that ends, "Do not go gentle into that goodnight... Rage,
rage against the dying of the light." The lightning shapes in the
center panel represent both the raging path of breast cancer through so
many innocent lives, as well as the healing energy that flows through and
around us as we struggle with this disease. The names on the quilts represent
individuals who have fought valiantly to keep cancer from extinguishing
the light of their spirits. "Sunrise Summit" commemorates the
Breast Cancer Fund's climb of Mt. Fuji in Japan in August 2000. Gray
was a member of the climbing team and took "Raging Light"—and
the spirits of all whose names are present on the panels—to the top
of the mountain. "The climb was a simple metaphor—we struggle
to conquer breast cancer because we have to; we conquer mountains like
Mt. Fuji because we can!"
Judy Hiramoto
Judy Hiramoto is an interdisciplinary artist utilizing ceramics, photographs,
digital imagery, and mixed media installations. Hiramoto began the nuclear
culture series in 1995 to commemorate fifty years of the nuclear age. She draws
parallels between radiation exposure and increased breast cancer risk. Hiramoto
noted that after dropping the first atomic bombs on Japan during World War
II, the United States subsequently began an undeclared war on its own citizens
when it relentlessly tested bombs in Nevada, spreading radioactive fallout
over its own people. Hiramoto has participated in over two-hundred exhibitions
in the United States, Canada, Japan, Taiwan and France.
"Target", Judy Hiramoto
Toby Jones
Toby Jones began the Fiberglass Busts Project to process the pain surrounding
the loss of his mother to breast cancer. With each new sculpture, he
experimented with stronger and more durable materials—ultimately
incorporating Kevlar, a material used in the creation of bulletproof
vests. It was then that he realized he was subconsciously attempting
to create breasts that were impervious to breast cancer. What began as
an art project grew into a metaphorical fight against the disease. The
luster and strength of the materials involved pays tribute to the beauty
and resiliency of the human spirit. The end result was the gift he wanted
to give his mother.
Arlene Linder
In May of 1994, Arlene Linder discovered that her daughter, Michelle, had
breast cancer. Linder's family was informed that it was moving
so quickly that Michelle would be lucky to live six months. What followed
was a year of agonizing treatments. Linder was able to make it through
the experience by drawing her daughter during the different stages of
the treatments. Each work was drawn in a sketchpad while Linder sat by
her daughter's bedside at UC Medical Center. Eleven years have
passed and Michelle is doing great. Linder writes, "The world is
out there, and she is going to live every minute to the max." Michelle
is currently working on producing a movie, entitled "Surviving
the Cure", a realistic portrayal of surviving breast cancer treatment
and beating breast cancer. She is donating a percentage of the proceeds
to breast cancer research.
Kit Morris
To Kit Morris, photography is a form of storytelling. With twenty-five
years of experience in commercial photography, she considers her recent
involvement in photographing people who have survived challenging health
battles as the most rewarding. With her own diagnosis of breast cancer
in 1996, she used the visual therapy of photography to arrive at an understanding
of the disease. Morris' latest project, "Beauty Bared" is
a series of portraits of vibrant and courageous women who have undergone
treatment for breast cancer. The project was developed both to confront
the stigma surrounding breast cancer treatment, as well as to help newly-diagnosed
women navigate the often-overwhelming journey through treatment. Her
international clientele included Roche, Hewlett Packard, and Visa, as
well as the Addy Award winning work for Levi Strauss & Co. In addition
numerous national publications have featured her editorial photography,
including Interior Design, Metropolitan Home, Elle, and The New Yorker.
"Sunburn", Kit Morris
Art Myers
In addition to being a fine art photographer, Art Myers is a physician
specializing in preventative medicine and public health. Although largely
self-taught in photography, he has studied in workshops with Annie Liebovitz,
Arnold Newman, Larry Fink, Sally Mann, and Joyce Tenneson, among others.
An award winning and nationally exhibiting artist, Myers draws inspiration
from having lost his sister to breast cancer as well as from his wife's
subsequent diagnosis with the disease. This series addresses the resilience
of a woman's beauty, strength, and femaleness in all of its complexity,
even after the transforming experience of breast cancer.
Merideth Bowen Shamszad
Upon turning fifty, Merideth Bowen Shamszad joined a guided process-painting
group. Three years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. As she
went though diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, painting and sharing
with the art group became an extraordinary source of support and healing.
She sees her paintings during that period as a visual diary of her journey.
Many of these works can be viewed in her recently published book, s.
She believes that life-threatening illness strips away pretense and falseness,
leaving the heart open to what is true and real in one's life.
Shamszad views creativity as a vehicle to share universal truths and
to open one's heart to healing.
Ana Smulian
"I read in the newspaper that a local doctor/researcher had stated that
since seven out of eight women don't get breast cancer, it's
a rare disease! Creating this piece helped me deal with the rage I felt
about this man's words. The figures, though similar, are different—as
each of us is different. The eighth piece is torn apart, signifying what
happens when you find out that you have breast cancer. The tearing apart
of yourself, along with your loved ones, is visiting hell and coming back
alive—at least for now. On the eighth figure, an X marks the spot
where cancer was detected; the inside is painted red, signifying the blood
and pain following diagnosis. A fragmented mirror reflects that this one
woman out of eight can be any one of us."
"Seven Out of Eight Don't", Ana Smulian
