Artist Statement
As a child, I struggled to stay engaged with any activity, whether sports or academics, and never felt a strong passion for anything. That changed in middle school when I discovered art. During a class project where we were given free rein on a canvas, I created a piece that my teachers loved and displayed around the school for years. The impact of that small image inspired me to keep creating, hoping to evoke similar feelings in others. Growing up close to my grandparents, I had always been reminded of my late grandmother, who passed away from breast cancer when my dad was in his 20s. In her honor, my grandfather founded the Marie Curie Walk, raising millions of dollars to provide free mammograms and support for women in need. I’ve always been told how much I resemble her, and I’ve sought ways to honor her legacy and connect with her.
In honor of my grandmother and the many other influential women in my life who have battled breast cancer, I have chosen to focus my thesis on the experiences of women facing breast cancer, specifically through my art, examining the impact of mastectomies. Women who are facing a breast cancer diagnosis often experience lingering physiological and emotional challenges that significantly impact their lives. These can include self-image and self-esteem issues, heightened anxiety, depression, and a sense of loss or altered identity. The physical and emotional toll of mastectomies, in particular, can intensify these struggles. As women navigate not only the physical healing process but also the psychological effects of body image changes and the fear of relapse.
Through this thesis process, I created wearable art pieces exemplified as corsets made from wood, clay, fabric, thread, yarn, and small decorative objects, all intended to adorn the female form and acknowledge the impact of breast cancer on the body.
Thesis Abstract
This thesis examines the transformative power of creating wearable art through mixed media as a form of empowerment for women navigating a breast cancer diagnosis. Engaging in personalized and creative artistic expression may help alleviate challenges related to identity, stress, depression, and pain, fostering healing and positive self-image throughout a cancer diagnosis journey. Creating wearable mixed-media art, as an art therapy intervention, may offer a powerful means of addressing the psychological, emotional, and physical needs of women facing a breast cancer diagnosis. This thesis was inspired by personal experiences observing close friends and family members grappling with their identity following a breast cancer diagnosis. Through the use of mixed media to create wearable art, five unique corsets resulted, which were intended to offer a reflection of the personal journeys these women experience. The results, limitations, and future directions are further discussed.