Q&A with creator of The Bodice Project

May 7—ASHLAND — When Cynthia Fraula-Hahn's childhood friend was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Shepherdstown, W.Va., artist went into action.

Not only did she become an advocate for her friend during her cancer fight, she expressed herself through her art, which has become The Bodice Project.

The collection of torsos are designed to express each artist's take on breast cancer. The 23 sculptures are on display at the Huntington Museum of Art.

Question: How did the concept for this exhibit materialize?

Answer: Working with Identity Crisis, a nonprofit organization that benefits Breast Cancer Awareness — Cumberland Valley, the original idea was to put a half silhouette or mannequin in each shop window in Shepherdstown, each representing a breast cancer survivor.

I wanted to do something meaningful and artistic for my best friend from childhood, who'd just been diagnosed with breast cancer. My friend, who has MS, called me in a panic. She had just discovered a large lump in one of her breasts. She didn't have a doctor. I found her a doctor that day and her journey with breast cancer began.

She asked me to be her advocate, which meant I was with her every step of the way through her treatment. I was so worried about her survival, I knew I had to go into my studio to create something meaningful about her journey through breast cancer. This was my effort to deal with the fear I had of losing her. During the process, my friend said something I remember to this day. She told me that going through the process of "being wrapped" (having a likeness of her torso created as a base for a sculpture), she no longer felt isolated and alone. It gave her a sense of community. She had felt so isolated.

Since I was a painter, I decided I would use plaster embedded gauze to wrap breast cancer survivors' torsos. Then each piece was painted to represent the essence of these women and men who bravely volunteered for this project. The concept was to show the reality and diversity of what breast cancer looks like, in a manner that sensitively honors each survivor through the visual arts.

Question: How did other artists get involved?

Answer: As I began the project, I enlisted other artists in the Shepherdstown area to participate, all of whom said yes. By the end of the awareness campaign, the exhibit had amassed a significant amount of artwork displayed in storefront windows in Shepherdstown.

Since the results were displayed separately, I was curious to see how they would look all together. My curiosity was answered when they were invited to exhibit all the work at the Hagerstown Community College's art gallery. And the Bodice Project was born.

Question: How surprising was it to you that it has evolved the way it has?

Answer: The Bodice Project has taken on a life of its own. Breast cancer is so prevalent that the concept took off. Survivors and artist began asking to contribute work to for The Bodice Project. The exhibit has grown into the 23 pieces we have today in our permanent collection.

Question: What kind of feedback have you received?

Answer: The reaction from our audiences has been overwhelming positive. From the first exhibit, I could look around and see tears in visitor's eyes. They were so moved by the sculptures that addresses breast cancer in a compassionate and uplifting way. Each breast cancer survivor's story is unique as is their journey through treatment.

Artists who participated speak of their experience of working with a survivor as meaningful and deeply moving.

Question: How does the exhibit raise funds?

Answer: The Bodice Project raises funds to keep our project afloat. The outpouring of donations for TBP has been deeply moving. As an artist, my goal has been to keep the exhibit going. As with all nonprofits, we continually depend on the generosity of our donors. We went from simply putting out a donation jar to getting the organization properly prepared to continue our mission. The community of donors has been so supportive.

Question: What is your ultimate goal?

Answer: Our goal is to continue to grow our audiences and raise awareness about breast cancer. We want to take the concept and share it with people in other communities. We want to inspire other artists and breast cancer survivors to participate in this rewarding experience. We want our audiences to see that breast cancer may be cured by a doctor, but the survivor is left with physical and emotional scars. Only now, the medical community is beginning to address this issue.

TBP is a sensitive and uplifting, but realistic, view of breast cancer and the effects of life after treatment. As one of the survivors pointed out, "I love this project because it's different. It shows what's really happening — I mean, what I think it shows is that even though you go through this... process — there's tomorrow — and that's what I care about. Tomorrow, always. I have to."

That is another big part of the exhibition. It isn't just the art, it is the interaction, the bond, of the survivor and the artist and the words of the survivors this project has touched. It is the soul of the project. And then there are the reactions to the exhibition, comments left by the guests because it moved them as well.

Artistic expression is one way to give voice to human experience. People from all walks of life need healing, hope, and a mechanism for communicating their journey to others. Our exhibition has already had a powerful impact.

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com