Touring Art Exhibit: Voices and Visions, Standing on the Bridge between Health and Disease

In celebration of breast cancer awareness, Medline is sponsoring a unique art exhibit expressing the voices and feelings of those touched by breast cancer and other women's health issues. The Lakewood Center for the Arts in Lake Oswego, Ore. is the first stop of this national touring art exhibit, titled "Voices and Visions, Standing on the Bridge between Health and Disease."

On display at Lakewood May 9 - June 12, the exhibit features more than 27 artists and 45 pieces of art. All art was produced by artists who have been dramatically affected by women's cancers. The exhibit also showcases statements of women who have undergone breast or ovarian surgeries.

See additional artwork online

"The art exhibit is an extension of our breast cancer awareness campaign with the goal of empowering those who live on that bridge between health and disease," said Sue MacInnes, Medline's chief marketing officer. "Similar to our message with the Pink Glove Dance, our hope with the art exhibit is to reach people in a creative and interesting way to get them engaged and talking about breast cancer."

See the artwork online

About the Artists
In one way or another, all of the artists have been dramatically affected by women's cancers. Some are survivors; some have had family members with the disease and some are carriers of the BRCA1 gene linked to the develop­ment of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. One photographer, for example, had an 18-year-old cancer patient ask him to photograph her. Another male artist took care of his mother through multiple cancers, including ovarian. Several artists have sisters who had cancer, and others had mothers with the disease.

The Curator
Caren Helene Rudman is an artist who works with mixed media, photography and writing. After learning she carried the BRCA1 gene, a hereditary increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers, her work began to delve into genetics. She has become part of a coalition of woman who are passionate about educating people on the risk of hereditary cancers and the power of taking control of our own bodies. Recently, she was invited to participate in a project, Heroes in the Fight Against Breast Cancer, where she and 14 other devoted women were honored by the governor of Illinois. She lives in the Chicago area with her family.

Admission is free.

See art exhibit press release for more information and exhibit hours or call (503) 635-3901.