Call for Art: Instruments of Fear!

Voices and Visions, Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease, 2020 will take place August 7 through September 26, 2020, at The Art Center Highland Park (TACHP).  TACHP curator, Caren Helene Rudman, has had cancer hit her family on many fronts, from five great aunts, her great grandmother and ultimately losing her Mother and her sister to the disease. Additionally, she and her family members have taken preliminary action to head off cancer, including mastectomies, hysterectomies and more. Caren’s passion for using the power of art and creativity as a healing voice is inspiring.  

Voices & Visions; Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease began in 2010 as an exhibit about breast and ovarian cancers. This exhibit was conceived as a 3-part trilogy consisting of a wall of statements answering different cancer-related questions (Voices), the juried art exhibition (Visions), and a race (wellness aspect.) The exhibit was such a success that the healthcare company Medline sponsored the exhibit as part of their breast cancer initiative, creating a tour of the 2010 exhibit, traveling to several cancer centers across the country.  Realizing the strength behind the theme, TACHP continued to present the exhibit as an annual event until 2012, when it transitioned to a biennial exhibit with a wider theme of cancer as a metaphor.

With each exhibit there exists a theme derived from putting the work together, including Out of Darkness Comes Light, Connections, and Color. The different questions asked range from; “How do you find strength in pain?” “How has cancer affected your life?” and “How do you detach from your body as you head in to surgery?” The responses have been honest and broad, seen in the first answer to, “how do you detach” was, “I have never felt more connected to my body in my life.”

The Trilogy: 

• Vision with the creative expression of artists
• Voices from statements asked of community members and beyond which are displayed on plaques in the exhibit. In 2020, we ask: How have healthcare providers and/ or caregivers helped you and your family members through your journey in dealing with cancer?  Email:crudman@theartcenterhp.org
• Health and Wellness-  breast and ovarian cancers which was conceived as part of the trilogy

 Each year, TACHP honors someone who has battled cancer. In 2018, Jackie Sabath was honored. She had exhibited in 2016 with what turned out to be her last work of art, made specifically for Voices & Visions, just days before the exhibit installation. In partnership with Jackie’s family TACHP created The Jackie Sabath Exhibition Fund.

Jackie Sabath was an established artist on the North Shore. Her powerful piece, “Back Up Against a Wall, but Moving Forward,” exemplifies her spirit and strength to persevere throughout her life. The Jackie Sabath Exhibition Fund has been created to carry on her legacy by helping TACHP’s future exhibitions, social awareness, and educational outreach.

Caren Helene Rudman, the curator of this meaningful exhibit is amazed each year by the level of depth and beauty of the art and responses. Caren always states that this exhibit defies expectations and preconceptions about an art exhibit about cancer, because it has been anything but dark and sad. Her vision of Voices and Visions: Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease is best explained in her words; “This exhibit was conceived to express the shaky ground on which we feel when facing our mortality or those whom we love. As we allow ourselves to share the depth of what is in our hearts, we shed light on what gives all of our lives meaning.”

Save the Dates: Voices and Visions: Standing on the Bridge Between Health and Disease opens to the public August 14, 2020, and September 11, 5:30- 8:00 PM, the official Artist Reception (outdoors!) 

As much as we hate to see exhibits come down, it is always with mixed emotion with what is coming next. Tomorrow is the last day to see Undercurrents with Michelle Stone and Susan Smith Trees and Inside Outside. They are a fascinating look at how to break down boundaries. With that in mind, our next exhibit called Impact Color Impact Black & White breaks down different barriers, the ones that can be as subtle as color technique or as bold as racial preconceptions. We hope you all join our conversation, making an impact to build community in a positive way.