Suspended Self: The Liminal Space of Breast Cancer
Suspended Self: The Liminal Space of Breast Cancer is a comprehensive, research-based artistic initiative that gives visual and interactive form to the lived experiences of breast cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, those at high genetic risk, caregivers, and those grieving loss. This deeply collaborative project draws from over 1,500 stories collected through interviews, workshops, and participant submissions spanning 10 countries. These stories form the foundation of the project, shaping every work and ensuring that the exhibition reflects not just one perspective but the collective voice of a diverse community.
Through a rigorous and deeply personal process, the project integrates qualitative research with artistic innovation. Workshops and interviews provided participants the opportunity to share their experiences, insights, and reflections, which informed the creation of the 12 major pieces in the exhibition. Each artwork emerges from this collaborative process, translating the emotional, physical, and societal impacts of breast cancer into visual and interactive forms.
Themes such as waiting, diagnosis, scars, resilience, and remembrance thread through the exhibition, creating a rich tapestry of interwoven experiences. The works honor individual and collective stories, recognizing the shared humanity of navigating breast cancer. Whether through the detailed embroidery of scars, the weight of waiting gowns, or the voices heard through reconfigured telephones, the exhibition transforms personal narratives into powerful artistic expressions, bridging the gap between lived experience and communal understanding.
At its core, Suspended Self is not only a reflection of the artist’s own journey but a collective story shaped by the voices of those who contributed their stories, creating a truly communal and multifaceted exploration of the liminal spaces of breast cancer. This dynamic, participant-driven approach ensures that the exhibition speaks authentically to the resilience, complexity, and humanity of the cancer experience.
Selected Works
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Pieces in the Exhibition
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Drawings Based on Digital Histiopathology Images
Large-Scale Drawing Series
Four large-scale drawings rendered in ink and pencil depict microscopic imagery of breast cancer cells, including triple-negative breast cancer. The intricate, repetitive patterns balance scientific accuracy with emotional abstraction, offering viewers a moment of quiet reflection. Displayed in a series along a clean white wall, these works act as visual anchors within the exhibition, grounding the viewer amidst the more interactive installations.
"You Have Cancer"
Video Installation
This immersive video installation recreates the sensory and emotional disorientation of being told a cancer diagnosis. Shifting audio levels, blurred visuals, and fragmented voices create a visceral experience for viewers, reflecting the chaos and disbelief described by participants. Presented on a suspended screen in a dimly lit space, the work invites audiences to step into the overwhelming moment that often begins the cancer journey.
Waiting Gowns
Participatory Textile Installation
This installation features a series of waiting gowns transformed into symbols of the burdens carried by those navigating breast cancer. Each gown is inscribed with stories from people with breast cancer, detailing their experiences of waiting—anticipating diagnoses, enduring treatment delays, and confronting uncertainty. Some gowns include sewn-in weights, giving physical form to the emotional and existential weight of these moments. Visitors are invited to wear the gowns, engaging with the text on the fabric while physically feeling the weight, fostering an embodied connection to these lived experiences.
"Scars"
Watercolor and Embroidery Series
This series of three large-scale works combines delicate watercolor layers in tones of black, gray, pink, and red with intricate embroidery. The embroidery traces the exact scar patterns shared by participants, capturing the physical and emotional marks left by cancer. Displayed unframed on fabric-mounted panels, the pieces provide a quiet, grounding space for viewers to reflect on healing and resilience.
"(keep) in touch"
Audio and Video Installation
This participatory installation brings together voices from across the country, inviting members of the breast cancer community—previvors, current patients, thrivers, and survivors—to share answers to prompts that offer guidance, hope, and reflection for others navigating similar experiences. These contributions, collected as audio and video responses, are presented in an immersive exhibition where visitors engage through two distinct modes: listening to recorded messages on a rotary telephone or watching video responses on a screen embedded in the space of a reimagined vanity’s missing mirror. By contrasting analog and digital modes of communication, "(keep) in touch" reflects on the labor of connection, transforming personal stories into a collective archive of care, vulnerability, and resilience.
"How Are You?"
Layered Transparency Series
This series of layered transparencies explores the hidden complexity of responding to the simple question, "How are you?" The first layer features a calm, neutral face, while subsequent layers reveal emotions such as pain, anger, grief, and hope. Displayed in a horizontal lightbox, the piece allows viewers to see how these layers build upon one another, mirroring the multifaceted emotions of those navigating cancer.
Cancerland Postcards
Postcard Display
Imagined visual “postcards” of cancer landscapes, created in collaborative workshops, are displayed on rotating postcard stands. Each card features abstract imagery symbolizing the surreal, isolating, or overwhelming experiences of cancer. On the back, participants have written messages to loved ones or reflections from their journeys. Viewers are invited to read, take, or send a postcard, creating connections beyond the gallery.
"If Cancer Was an Object" Photography Series
Mounted Photography Display
A series of abstract photographs capturing objects participants described as representing their cancer or genetic predisposition. These objects—ranging from soft textiles to sharp tools—are imbued with personal meaning and are accompanied by written interpretations displayed alongside the photographs. The works are mounted on individual panels with space for close engagement, encouraging viewers to consider the metaphoric weight of these objects.
"At Least You Get a Free Boob Job"
Sculpture
This life-size plaster sculpture juxtaposes a smooth chest with an anatomical cross-section layered with textures and colors. The smooth surface critiques societal trivializations of mastectomies and reconstructive surgeries, while the intricate cross-section highlights the physical and emotional trauma of these procedures. Displayed on a low pedestal for close examination, the work invites viewers to confront the complexities and misconceptions surrounding breast cancer surgeries.
Documentation and Resources
Exhibition Book
Publication
This book compiles stories, artwork, and reflections collected from participants throughout the project. It features high-quality reproductions of the artworks, personal narratives, and insights into the creative process. Displayed in the gallery and available for purchase, proceeds from the book support breast cancer organizations, extending the exhibition's advocacy beyond the gallery walls.
Resource Center
Interactive Space
A dedicated area within the exhibition featuring books, brochures, and support materials for those impacted by cancer. Visitors are invited to take resources or leave messages of encouragement on a community board. Comfortable seating and warm lighting make this space an inviting area for connection and reflection.