Artist Statement:I was teaching at Cancer LifeLine in Seattle, where you can imagine there is a lot of discussion about breasts and breast cancer. As I drove to the class I often found myself waiting at a stop light where a strip joint stood at the corner. So, while driving back and fourth I began to wonder how breasts, breast cancer and stripping might be connected. I thought about people watching stripper’s, and their breasts. I thought about breast cancer patients looking at their own breasts – and all of the thoughts they had about their breasts, and possibly losing one - to save their lives. Then a receptionist I saw frequently had a sex change - and voluntarily removed her breasts – to become a man. She too must have had some strong feelings about having breasts I thought. I wondered about all of the care, and thinking, and efforts made in the name of “breasts” - to “enhance” them, “save” them or to remove them. I began to see how very complex our relationships are with our breasts: for women, men, and our society.

This piece is about our breasts changing our lives - and us changing our breasts - because of what we see, what others see, or what we think others see.

It is about breast implants and breast reductions.
It is about the complications that occur because we have had these procedures done.
It is about mastering the courage to look at our breasts after the diagnosis, and …after the mastectomy.
It is about looking at the neat and tidy scar replacing our breast and reminding ourselves that …we … had…no…choice.
It is about gifting our daughters with breast implants as they graduate from high school, or turn sweet sixteen.
It is about nourishing our sweet babies with our breasts – while they gaze at our breasts (and us), completely oblivious to the fact that they are looking at “OUR BREASTS.”
It is about the opinions of others regarding when, where, and how long we should, or should not, nurse our babies.
It is about using breasts to sell magazines and beer.
It is about technological advances made, and money made, because of breasts.
It is about why we pay women to show their breasts but not men.
It is about removing our breasts to become a man.
It is about exposing them or hiding them.
It is about feeling flattered or vulnerable because a construction worker whistles.

Dimensions: 104" wide x 24" high