Art Exhibit Reveals Humor and Courage in Breast Cancer
September 21, 2004—Oakland, CA—The California Breast Cancer Research Program’s (CBCRP) collection of wearable breast art will be featured at the UC Davis Design Museum, October 17–November 19, 2004.
Works of art worn over mastectomy scars reach out not as reproductions of loss, but as symbols of courage and life, the wonder of our temporal selves, and the issues confronted by those who face breast cancer. The art then finds expression in research that will lead to better ways to detect, treat, prevent, and cure breast cancer.
“We see the connection between art and science,” says Dr. Marion Kavanaugh-Lynch, Director of the CBCRP. “Artists create tangible expressions of research questions; we fund the research that addresses the issues expressed in the art. The Breast Art collection exemplifies the spirit of our founders and encourages everyone to push for better ways to eliminate breast cancer.”
Participating artists have made wearable breast art prostheses to be a part of a woman’s attire, a fashion accessory, adornment, and statement. Art pieces will be displayed alongside examples of the way breast cancer research addresses issues expressed in the artwork. The exhibition is intended to create an avenue for health education through art and to afford an opportunity for vision, growth, and change.
By combining art and science, The Art of Healing Breast Cancer: A Union of Science and Design bridges the gap between facts and understanding. The scientific information reveals challenges and shows how scientists are striving to overcome them. The Breast Art collection deepens our understanding by interpreting the impact of breast cancer on the human spirit.
The collection is owned by the California Breast Cancer Research Program, which has funded more than $165 million in breast cancer research grants since 1993, and is curated by the Design Museum of the University of California, Davis.
About the CBCRP
The mission of the California Breast Cancer Research Program is to eliminate
breast cancer by leading innovation in research, communication, and collaboration
in the California scientific and lay communities.
Created by the State Legislature in 1993, the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) is the largest state-funded breast cancer research program in the nation and is administered by the University of California, Office of the President. To date, the CBCRP has awarded 617 grants to 70 scientific institutions and community entities, totaling more than $160 million for research in California to prevent, treat, and cure breast cancer. Grants from the CBCRP fill gaps not traditionally funded by other research programs to jump-start new areas of investigation that push the boundaries of research and foster new collaborations. The CBCRP is funded through the voluntary tax check-off program on personal income tax form 540, a portion of the state tobacco tax, and individual contributions. For more information call 888 313-2277, or visit www.cbcrp.org.
