Francesca Vale
f.vale.1@student.gla.ac.uk
Research title: Re-figuring Disfigurement: A Cultural Analysis of Mastectomy in Art Using a Curatorial Approach
Research summary
A Curatorial Approach to Analysing the Development of the Portrayal of Mastectomy in Art after 1882
Mastectomy (the removal of breast tissue to treat, or in genetically susceptible cases prevent, breast cancer) appears in a range of artistic production, showcasing the procedure and its effects on the body. However, this cultural output rarely features in academic and curatorial discourse. This research project will change that. It will analyse the development of the portrayal of mastectomy in art, integrating discussions around femininity that result from physical alterations of the female form. It will have a curatorial focus, inviting perspectives from beyond art history, such as people who have undergone mastectomy, to inform the display of mastectomised bodies.