“Life Plan”
Yesenia Joseph
Boston, MA
Social Media: @Kinda.Hippie.508
Survivor
Twist on Cancer: Cancer changed my life, but I don’t want it to define my life. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that you can be incredibly grateful to be alive and still grieve what cancer took from you. I can celebrate being cancer-free while still having moments when a scan, an appointment, a change in my body, or even someone else’s diagnosis brings me right back to that fear. I’ve learned that both things can be true. I’ve also stopped putting so much of life off for “someday.” I travel. I try things that scare me. I move my body because I’m grateful for what it can do, not just because I want it to look a certain way. I make plans, take pictures, celebrate milestones, and spend time with the people I love. Cancer made me much more aware that getting older is a privilege. Community has also been a huge part of my healing. There is something powerful about being around other people who just get it without needing an explanation. I’ve learned that asking for support doesn’t make me less strong, and that survivorship isn’t something I have to figure out by myself. Most importantly, I’ve learned that surviving cancer doesn’t mean I have to spend the rest of my life being afraid of losing it. I don’t always get that right. There are still hard days and scary thoughts. But I keep choosing to plan for a future I fully expect to be here for. My twist on cancer is that I don’t just want to survive it. I want to build a really good life after it — one filled with adventure, love, purpose, ridiculous amounts of pictures, and a lot of moments that remind me, “I’m still here.”
Alice Raymond
France/United States
https://cargocollective.com/aliceraymond
“Life Plan”
Painting and Participatory
31” x 51”
$500
Artist Statement: My early encounters with impermanence, stemming from frequent relocations as a child, naturally ignited my passion for geography, maps, and tools for documenting and locating spaces. My artistic practice revolves around relocation, adapting to local contexts and materials. Through this approach, I aim to foster connections across cultures, practices, and people through collaborative processes. My work delves into the theme of adaptation to new environments, which I interpret through a personal, interdisciplinary cartography. This cartography explores the impact and perception of place from physical, social, and temporal perspectives. • My conversations with my inspiration, Yesenia, were rich and lovely. One of the key aspects that emerged was the pleasure and comfort derived from hikes in nature. Specifically, the support that a connection to the natural environment can provide in daily life became crucial in creating this artwork : having a plan and a map ! Those became essential elements in the creation of this artwork, “ife Plan” and adaptation serving as a source of effective support during life’s most challenging moments. With Y., we discovered a shared passion for painting. Inspired by her experience with group “paint-by-numbers” workshops and color-coded schedules, I painted a landscape onto a large road map using simplified color zones. She fondly recalls the comfort and inspiration she found in walls adorned with vibrant colors. A smaller version of the landscape accompanies the large map, mounted and ready for use. It invites the public to add their own colors, creating a sense of shared experience and connection. Just as Yesenia has effectively used her experience and skills to help others navigate difficult times, this artwork multiplies, is shared, and fosters connection.