Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Body as an Open Book

Body As an Open Book is from a series of mixed media prints using photographs of my body that were taking before and during treatment for breast cancer.  It is currently part of my exhibition at Willow on State in Kennett Square, PA.
Body as an Open Book
Digital print on hand made paper with collage
10" x 22"
©2011NanciHersh

It's easy to feel like a specimen rather than a person as you move through all the stages from diagnosis to healing.   And, there is no recipe for getting through the physical and emotional trauma of any life altering experience.

But I found, that the more I made work about it, the more control I felt I had of the situation. Focusing on process. finding images and various materials that intuitively felt right with each piece helped me find distance, healing and even the lighter side of life.

What connection do you see between my body and the elements incorporated into the piece?

2 comments:

Kathryn said...

Wow, Nanci. I wish I could be there to see the show. The images on the previous post, and this one, too, are really compelling and heartfelt. Your drawing seems to explore your authentic search for meaning in this difficult time. And that's what genuine artists, like you, do...try to make sense of our world.

These are splendid!

Nanci Hersh said...

Thank you Kathryn. Our ability as artists to work through life with images and materials that empowers and sometimes even "saves" us- even it is from ourselves. Looking forward to talking to you soon.