The F**K Cancer show’s title alone is enough to raise some eyebrows, but the art in this three women exhibition is certain to do more than that. This international show features the work of Ria Vanden Eynde (Belgium), Betty Esperanza (Canada) and Branka Djordjević (Luxembourg). The art practice of each is a heart felt response to the condition of having and battling the big C…cancer. It serves both as an object lesson and a testament of their courage to persevere and produce their art.
I know all three from their contributions to the A Book About Death exhibits that I’ve contributed to and which continues to expand into many worldwide venues.
One of the women, Ria Vanden Eynde and I have collaborated since 2009 on many artworks and over the last 18 months have teamed with Susan Shulman of Canada into the artist collective Seeking Kali. Although we live in different countries, through the connectivity of the Internet and Skype, we work in collaboration from virtual studios that seem as close as the next room. Earlier this spring in preparation for the F**K C show, I told Ria that I would like to do the printing of her pieces for the exhibit.
Aggressed Body - ©Ria Vanden Eynde
Cancer is something that has effected my family, my friends and many fellow artists and I wanted to be able to find some way to help “the three sistahs” who are exhibiting. Over the last two months several tubes have crossed the Atlantic to Ria in Belgium. The tubes contain the trial proofs for the editions and give Ria control over the color differences that can occur when translating an original oil or pastel into a giclée print.
The time has come where the actual prints are being made and we are both very pleased with how true to the originals they look.
The time has come where the actual prints are being made and we are both very pleased with how true to the originals they look.
Sueno - ©Ria Vanden Eynde
Ria is offering the prints for sale via our Seeking Kali website. Aside from having a great opportunity to purchase one of Ria’s terrific prints, she is donating $40 from each sale to the Florida based charity My Hope Chest, providing aid for women requiring reconstructive surgeries after mastectomy’s.
There is also another way for you to help. Ria is organizing a mail art call to coincide with the exhibit. Pieces received at the gallery by September 8th will be available for purchase by donation which also benefits My Hope Chest. Complete details on how to participate on the F**K C mail art call can be found at the tumblr link at the bottom of this post.
F**K Cancer opens September 8th at Jennifer Kosharek’s eve N odd Gallery, located at 645 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg, FL. The exhibit opens 9/8/11 and runs through September.
Link to F**K the Big C tumblr blog
_ contribute your mail art to F**K Cancer
Seeking Kali and F**K the Big C
_ pre-order prints
