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Public photography exhibit featuring birthmarks positively impacts participants, attendees
June 07, 2023
2 min read
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Key takeaways:
- All participants agreed the experience was “positive,” “helpful” or “valuable.”
- 85% of attendees agreed that the event made them feel better about their skin and accepting of people with visible difference.
The photographic exhibition of those with congenital melanocytic nevi had a significant positive impact on participants and attendees, demonstrating options for psychological interventions, according to a study.
“As recently as 25 years ago, it was common practice in the U.K. for children with extensive birthmarks to be advised to hide their birthmarks as much as possible, with separate changing areas made available for them at school, and routine avoidance of sports such as swimming or dancing that might lead to a birthmark being seen,” Morgan B. Zolkwer, BSc, PhD student at the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Centre for Appearance Research, and colleagues wrote. “Although well meant, the message was essentially that there was something ‘wrong’ with the child, and that it was something shameful to be hidden. It is not surprising in this societal context that birthmarks could lead to psychological distress.”
Zolkwer and colleagues conducted a photoshoot and public art display of individuals with extensive congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) called “How do you C Me Now?” to evaluate its impact on individuals’ self-confidence and the public’s perception.
Caring Matters Now, a U.K. charity supporting those affected by CMN, partnered with a photographer for the study. Thirty participants (age range, 7 months to 47 years; 21 females) were photographed for approximately 3 hours in a London studio, with the first hour dedicated to ensuring the participants were at ease.
Participants or a parent completed a pre- and post-photography questionnaire addressing their experience during the shoot and their self-perception before and after the event. Of the more than 8,000 exhibit attendees, 464 completed an on-site survey detailing their opinions of the photographs.
Results showed that 100% of participants reported that the photographic experience was “positive,” “helpful” or “valuable” and 90% reported that the experience made them feel better about their appearance.
Participants also reported an increase in self-confidence. Before the event, 33.3% of participants reported that their CMN dictated what they wore compared with 8.9% after the event. On a scale of 1 to 10, mean confidence scores rose from 7.1 before the event to 9 after the event.
Of those who attended the exhibition, 51% had heard of CMN and 11% had CMN themselves. Results from the on-site survey showed that more than 85% of respondents agreed that the event improved how they felt about their own skin, increased acceptance of their own looks and made them more accepting of people with visible difference.
Traditionally, photographs of individuals with extensive birthmarks have been used for medical indications only. However, this study suggests that photography that focuses on the individual rather than the condition may benefit patients’ self-confidence and self-perceptions, according to the researchers.
“While the participants could be argued to already have robust self-perception to put themselves forward for such an experience, the clear demonstration here of measurable beneficial psychological impact afterwards compared to before is a radical proof of concept,” Zolkwer and colleagues wrote. “Furthermore, in the era of social media, where the negative psychological effects of posting self-photographs are frequently reported, the positive effect of this exhibition on the views of the general public is a perhaps surprising demonstration of the power of this novel approach.”
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Neighborhood mural project coming to Marshalltown
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Artist Sasha Primo, pictured, poses in front of a mural he completed in Buenos Aires, the capital city in his home country of Argentina. He has been commissioned to paint four new neighborhood murals in Marshalltown, with work set to begin this month.
Art has a way of bringing people together. That’s why the Marshall County Arts and Culture Alliance has launched a community-building mural project aimed at honoring Marshalltown’s rich cultural diversity and resilience through a tornado, derecho and pandemic.
“After an international call for artists was issued, Sasha Primo of Argentina was selected as the finalist for his expertise in public art and community-based projects,” Amber Danielson, executive director of the Alliance, said. “Primo will paint four new murals in underserved neighborhoods, to tell the story of Marshalltown, capturing the unique experiences and dreams of its residents.”
People interested in providing feedback for what they’d like to see included in the artwork can complete this survey by June 14: www.artsandculturealliance.org/experiences
It consists of four questions, which seek to learn more about the survey takers’ background, personal stories related to the tornado and derecho and vision for Marshalltown. You do not need to answer all the questions in order to complete the survey. An optional fifth question at the end asks you to create a drawing, in no more than 10 minutes, using any object or symbol from your story, then emailing it to the Alliance at: director@artsandculturealliance.org.
Work is set to begin this month. Danielson said Primo did more than a dozen interviews in both the public and private sectors to get a better understanding of Marshalltown’s identity.
“The interviews highlighted the community’s cultural diversity, which will serve as a central theme throughout the project. The murals will depict the history of the community, the diversity of its people, the resilience and empathy displayed in the aftermath of the natural disasters and the hopes and dreams of its residents,” he said in a statement.
Primo, who has done murals around the world, is drawn to representing cultural histories and incorporating site-specific artworks to help tell a community’s unique story.
“I achieve this by identifying and incorporating popular symbols that have significance for the identity of the place,” he said.
While in town, he will work with local youth-focused organizations to offer art workshops.
The murals will be paid for with funds from several local and statewide grants.
“This is a project representative of the Arts and Culture Master Plan,” Danielson noted.
In addition to completing the survey by June 14, people can participate in designated paint days, which will be announced on the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance’s Facebook page.
“Our goal for this project is to engage individuals, youth and families in a community-building mural project to increase community connectedness and pride, while infusing beauty and vibrancy into our neighborhoods. Most importantly, we seek for the community to be the inspiration for the mural designs and be a part of the mural creation process,” mural committee member and local artist Kim Hanken said in a statement.
The Alliance, which formed in 2004, helps the community connect to art and culture through promoting, supporting and enriching concepts that are already in place and searching for new endeavors and partnerships.
“The Alliance is excited to collaborate with the community to create a lasting tribute to the strength and vitality of Marshalltown. We believe that community involvement is essential in creating public art, and invite the community to take pART in this groundbreaking project,” Danielson said.
In addition to engaging the community with these new murals, the Alliance is hosting a Festival Cultural day on October 15 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the 13th Street District – West End Park. Live music, activities for youth, food trucks, vendors and more will be offered. For inquiries about being a vendor, entertainment or food, reach out to Wendy Soltero at: 641-751-5876. For information about sponsorships, event logistics or advertising/marketing, connect with Danielson at: director@artsandculturealliance.org or 641-752-2787.
To view the Master Plan, go to: www.artsandculturealliance.org/master-plan. To view some of Primo’s artwork, visit www.sashaprimo.com.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Annual Juried Printmaking Exhibition at the Paseo Arts Association — due by midnight on June 9
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Negaunee High School students reveal Art in the Park Project
NEGAUNEE, Mich. (WLUC) – Negaunee’s Jackson Mine Park has just received a splash of color.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the Art in the Park Project. Nine Negaunee Highs School students submitted art pieces relating to Negaunee or the U.P.
Elizabeth Gleason is one of those artists. She said her artwork is trying to draw attention to the Native heritage in the U.P.
“We’re not full but we are part Indigenous,” Gleason said. “So, I think it’s very important to share that kind of culture that a lot of people have up here, especially because it’s not recognized a lot and I just love to do that.”
Gleason said this is an opportunity for students to make a name for themselves.
“More often than not, art is kind of overlooked and seen as just an ‘extra thing,’” Gleason said. “It’s really cool to be recognized, especially as a high school student, to kind of kick start your whole learning thing, especially if you want to go into that for a career eventually.”
The project is a collaboration between the City of Negaunee, the high school and Honor Credit Union. The credit union donated $2,000 to the project.
Member Center Manager Sarah Wackerle said she wants to draw more attention to the talent in Negaunee.
“I’m really excited for students, families, friends, people who don’t live in the area that can come and check out the artwork that’s done locally so, again, just really focusing on the local artwork of our students,” Wackerle said.
Wackerle hinted that the project may expand to more students and artists in the future.
Copyright 2023 WLUC. All rights reserved.
Video: How to photograph the details in landscape photography
Over the years, we’ve published some great stories on why you should photograph the details in landscape photography (most recently in January this year).
It’s a genre we encourage people to try as intimate imagery can make for compelling photos, while also giving you a more diverse portfolio of work that will help distinguish you from the masses shooting traditional wide angle shots.
[embedded content]If you need further convincing, this video above from landscape photographer Adam Gibbs discusses how to find and photograph smaller details in landscape photography, particularly in forests. It’s a really well-done video that should give you some food for thought.
Check out the video above, and you can see more of Adam’s videos on YouTube.
Cover image: Mike O’Connor
Sculpture unveiled in memory of Upstate baby 8 years after her disappearance
Leonna Wright disappeared in June 2015.
