They say an image is worth a thousand words. The clothing company United Colors of Benetton not only succeeded in advertising its products but also in raising awareness of a wide spectrum of issues such as racism, freedom of speech, and AIDS, to name only a few, through the use of provocative photography. Perhaps in line with this tradition of sending a message through images that society usually does not want to see, the Seoul National University Hospital Bundang Branch launched an ambitious exhibition at the beginning of July to alter stereotypes about breast cancer.
Titled “Although I am _____, I am beautiful,” the exhibition is comprised of 18 nude ink-and-wash paintings of actual breast cancer patients. It was intended to raise awareness of breast cancer risk factors and to give hope to breast cancer patients by introducing those who have found ways to overcome their illness both physically and mentally.
Actual breast cancer patients ranging from all stages modeled for this exhibition. If a patient is at stage 0, the cancer cells are non-invasive, signifying that they are benign. The models who posed nude in these pictures are those who have bravely fought or are currently fighting with malignant breast cancer cells that have spread to various extents in their body. Each painting was supplemented by descriptions of the model patient’s treatment and surgery.
LEE Haeng-Soon, the planner of this exhibition as well as a participating model, said, “Though it was not easy revealing the wound under my clothes, I was able to rediscover a beauty I have never known in me, and as a result I was able to experience a curing effect through recovering self-confidence.”
LEE So-Young, who participated in this exhibition as a painter, professed that she was “touched by the patients who showed such beauty even in their extreme situation. I hope those who are suffering from breast cancer can overcome their fears and disease.”
Professor KIM Sung Won, who performed surgery on all the patients who modeled for the paintings, explained that “Depending on the degree of cancer cells spread to other tissues in the body, at the first stage one might have to remove the entire breast or at stage four remove only a portion. I hope through this exhibition people change their stereotypes about breast abscission, bravely undergo treatment, and stay confident after the surgery.”
Breast cancer, being one of the top five cancers which cause many deaths worldwide, is something about which awareness must be raised in order to improve survival rates. This is why this initiative taken on by SNU Hospital to rediscover the aesthetics of the nude breast is so important.
The paintings were displayed from July 5 to 8 in the SNUH Bundang Branch lobby.
Written by LEE BoYoung, SNU English Editor, bylee0708@gmail.com ?
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com