A long journey down a hard road

For the past three years, photographer Arthur Hand has documented the physical and emotional journey of his wife's battle with breast cancer. That documentary has resulted in a moving and uplifting exhibit that confronts Janette Maley's journey through the trials of a ravaging disease. "A Journey: Two Viewpoints," which opened Friday at the SoFA Gallery, not only documents the physical aspects of the disease, but it also explores the fears and changes which result from the cancer treatment process.

Hand began photographing Maley as a way to record her body before she went through surgery and treatment. He continued to photograph her through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and recovery. "Initially, it was to have a recorded memory of what her body was before surgery," Hand said. "But the images continued." Hand's photographs are organized into groups of five to six prints that document a specific point on the journey, such as first chemo and radiation. The images do not protect the viewer from the horrors of the ravaging disease, but they also celebrate the ability of the human body to triumph over illness. "The exhibit is very moving, sometimes difficult and sometimes inspiring," said Betsy Stirratt, director of the SoFA Gallery. Hand said he hopes to convey his individual experience with breast cancer, in addition to offering a voice to those people who are fighting the disease. "Through these images, I hope to show what the life is for a woman facing this catastrophic illness," Hand said. "Many women privately go through this journey. Through these images of my wife, I hope to share her journey and the journey of countless women through the world." The exhibit juxtaposes Hand's documentary photographs against Maley's multi-media collages. After her recovery, Maley began making collages that represent her perspective of the journey. These collages represent the emotional and sensational side of her battle, rather than the physical dimension. "The inspiration for these images comes out of my need to truly acknowledge what my life, my fight for life has been," Maley said in her artist's statement. "Each expresses what it felt like in a different aspect of cancer treatment." The collages range from such uplifting titles as Every Woman is Goddess, 2000, and My Strength, My Grace, 2001, to darker titles such as Black Hole, 2000, and Red Devil, 2000, to nostalgic titles, Dream Not Things That Were, 2002. For Maley, the process of making the collages was as much a healing process as the actual medical treatments she received, she said. "Making these images has been part of my healing, my solace and my acceptance," she said. "They have brought play, fluidity, intensity and joy back into my life. They have helped me along my journey into a life richer, more mindful of what I have and how I want to live." Hand is the head of photography at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Ill., and Maley is an art instructor at Kishwaukee College in Malta, Ill. Both received their Masters of Fine Arts from IU. The exhibit will continue through Saturday, Sept. 28 at the SoFA Gallery located in the School of Fine Arts.