Annemiek Mullenders (66)

-battered-(triptych)

Annemiek writes:

After some time of feeling unwell, one day I just lost consciousness and woke up three weeks later in the ICU at the hospital. I was on life support and hooked up to many other devices. I couldn’t do anything and didn’t understand what was going on. My body battered: a large untidy scar where my chest was cut open and tubes and wires going in and out of it. What happened was, I had a massive pulmonary embolism and multiple cardiac arrests, CPR, lack of oxygen causing brain damage, a 7-hour emergency heart/lung surgery with complications and organ failure and residue damage to my muscles and nerves as sequelae. So I was told. Nobody expected that I’d ever wake up at all. I'm (still) confused and in a lot of pain. After a difficult rehabilitation, two years later, I’m trying to find out who this new person is that I became and what I still cán do with all my (new) limitations. Gently, carefully I’ve started to paint, draw, cut, paste and I’m finding a way to process it all.

This triptych shows my body with its scars like faces showing the emotions I went through: surprise/incomprehension - confusion /anger – acceptance/surrender.

Annemiek's mail art call&blog

Aunia Kahn (65)

-salutary absorption-

Aunia writes:

When faced with fears I tend to be drawn directly into art, to get out the fear, frustrations and the overall feeling of lack of control – I have control with my art.

My family has suffered many Cancer scares, and many deaths associated with the disease breast. Brain, breast and kidney are to name a few. Breast Cancer runs on both sides of my family, and we carry the gene as well.

My gynecologist asked me told me at 30 I was going to have to go get a mammogram for the lumps she found in both breasts, due to her concern and the breast cancer risks in my family. I was devastated at the news, the fear of “maybe something was wrong with me” and the “what if’s” that come along after watching my mother go though Breast Cancer in her early 40’s and to be fighting stage 4 Bone Cancer in her late 40’s. (She is doing well)

I went home and created this piece of work as I waited for my mammogram appointment, which was a week later.

Everything came back normal, and I am healthy and fine but I am much more conscious about self breast checking and making people aware that Cancer, in any form can happen to anyone, even the most healthy, young and bright. So we must take care of our body, mind and spirit so that we do not give Cancer or any other illness a place to materialize and grow.

auniakahn.com

Maureen Piggins (64)

-Back and front of Maureen's postcard for A Book About Death, NYC, 2009-

Maureen writes:

I created several works and poems about my mother's illness and death from breast cancer, and consolidated much of this into an artist's book entitled "Echo". Many images represent the body (mine) in psychological portraits, while others are more literal in the interpretation of the body (my mother's) during illness. The two images above were exhibited in postcard format for the first "A Book About Death" show at the Emily Harvey Gallery in New York.

-Roots-

The image above, "Roots" is a work that represents my simultaneous connection to death and life. My body is between these two states, grief connecting me to my deceased parents and strength and joy to my son. This image also appears in postcard format in the "Ray Johnson and A Book About Death" exhibit. I've included the back of the postcard here as well, which deals with my father in the later stages of dementia.

maureenpiggins.com

Jennifer Weigel (63)

Images from The Life Blood Exhibit/Menstruation Art:

-Blossom-

-ComingOfAge2-

Jennifer writes:

Why make art about menstruation? Menstruation is still a taboo topic among many cultures. Many women are taught to be ashamed of their bodies and feel dirty when they are menstruating. There are still many myths surrounding menstruation, and both normal and potentially life-threatening conditions are too often not discussed, leaving individual women to wonder whether or not anything is wrong with their bodies whenever they experience any changes (sometimes even including menarche at the onset - many a girl has learned from a school nurse that what she is experiencing is normal). But menstruation shouldn’t been seen as something dirty, deviant or wrong - it is a natural function of the female body and provides evidence of women’s ability to carry children and to give birth to new life.

By drawing attention to the female body and to the menstrual cycle, artists are able to comment on this life-giving aspect of womanhood and to celebrate and/or show their discontent with their own bodies and cycles. Also in exploring this theme, artists are able to offer commentary on their experiences, confront stereotypes & assumptions and educate one another about things that are too often left unsaid. Here are some images of a couple of my artworks celebrating menstruation, including an altered dress called Blossom and an assemblage entitled Coming of Age. Please feel free to look at some more of my art on my website and to check out Life Blood Exhibit, a show about menstruation that I curated in St. Louis and hope will travel nationally.

jenniferweigelart.com
The Menstruation Series

lifebloodexhibit.com
lifebloodexhibit.blogspot.com

Elena Cortés (62)

-AURA-

Óleo sobre lienzo, 81 x 60 cm (cada uno)
Oil on canvas, 81 x 60 cm (each panel), 2010

Elena escribe, Elena writes:

Presento y represento un cúmulo de situaciones con la mujer como personaje principal, que intentan gracias al diálogo entre espectador y obra, una posible definición de la identidad propia de la mujer y su erotismo.
Una pintura basada en la sutileza, que sugiera más y que describa menos. Una pintura de manchas y fundidos que nos traslade al conflicto entre desaparición y presencia y que seduzca con su simple esencia indefinida.

I present and represent a combination of situations with women as main characters, who try through dialogue between viewer and work, for a possible definition of the identity of the woman and her eroticism.A painting based on subtlety, suggesting more and describing less.
A painting of blots and of fading that moves us towards the conflict between presence and disappearance and that appeals by its simple indefinite essence.

www.elenacortes.net