We often tend to forget how lucky we are to have a roof over our head, family, friends, a job and so much more, until one day, everything fades away. Most of us take health for granted and underestimate its value until the day we face illness. And when we recover, everything is forgotten and life goes on. It is true that many of us get up in the morning without having to worry about the future, yet, others live with the fear of a torn future and the scars of a painful past.
Living with cancer is a daily struggle, mentally and physically. It is not something you can simply escape or ignore. In these difficult times, there are always people who show great courage despite their personal health condition, while diving into activities such as art, enabling the expression of their deepest emotions. With this in mind, the Blossom exhibition was created in order to understand the place of art, in life-changing tragedies. Blossom's goal was to underline the following problematic: While a great variety of individuals ranging from health professionals, researchers and associations are on the front line of this fight, what is the true place of art in this one?
Despite all the positiveness that it attracts, the art world seems far removed from a terrible truth: art fairs and large galleries put prices on pieces of work that gradually lose their meaning through multiple narratives. However, underneath the layers of business, can be found painters, photographers, sculptors and even writers who practice for a completely different cause. This art has much more to offer than simply aesthetics and can benefit from many stories. After all, art is a genuine expression of our thoughts, emotions, intuitions and desires. It is the representation of stories aiming to intrigue, question and raise awareness and goes even beyond that: It is about sharing the way we experience the world, which for many is a genuine extension of our personality. It is the communication of intimate concepts that cannot be portrayed by simple words.
This is what can be found in Eileen Powers' "Can you make hair for me" project, created during her chemotherapy; or even through Valérie Legrand’s work in her writings "Croisade vers un Avenir plus doux" aimed at narrating her fight, outlining her weaknesses and fears, in order to show others that this fight which is hers can be overcome in the most inspiring way. It can also be found in the colourful works of Ishita Banerjee and Helen Lack, who although they have always had this attraction to the graphic arts, have seen new artistic turns in the face of their struggle. And all of this is not without mentioning, the paintings of Mélody Larcher, who created her association "L’Art Rose", which carried out therapeutic purposes, and participated in helping women reclaiming their feminity taken away by illness. Finally, we also have Eric Hyllemose capturing his memories through the gentle practice of drawing.
Albeit, through the Blossom exhibition, the Blossom Fighting Cancer association was honoured to present these artists, who for the most, were very happy to exhibit for the first time, and promote a true reflection on the meaning of art, a meaning that for them can sometimes be a synonym to curative. Through the sales of their artworks, 581,50 € were redistributed to diverse associations dedicated to the fight against cancer, including the Thyroid Cancer Canada organisation, Twist Out Cancer, the Pink Ribbon Foundation, the Roses Poudrées and the Art Rose association.