The month of October is dedicated to both World Mental Health Day and Breast Cancer Awareness, and to approach these important topics, the Breast Centre of Cyprus is hosting an all-day event on October 22. The agenda includes an exhibition by artist and art therapist Eleni Petridou Bouriti titled Healing Arts, which delves into the physical and emotional care of individuals affected by cancer.
Eleni's exhibition serves as a platform to highlight issues related to the multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer treatment and the therapeutic role of art. Her new series of works draws inspiration from the diagnostic services of the Breast Centre of Cyprus while exploring her own journey of healing after losing a loved one to cancer. Through her art, she expresses the emotions associated with loss, healing, and empowerment.
As she states, "As an artist and art psychotherapist, through my daily engagement with visual arts, I try to translate my personal or professional life concerns and thoughts into visual forms. My artistic work, as a social tool, aims to raise public awareness and help people see art as a medium that facilitates connection between individuals, a channel for processing and healing personal wounds, reflection, relief, and even hope."
The exhibition features digital mammography techniques, ultrasound, and medical tools, which take on symbolic dimensions through Eleni's work. Her mixed-media techniques blend these materials into a narrative reflecting the power of prevention and regeneration.
The artworks highlight the fragility and sensitivity of the human body and spirit during the breast cancer experience. By using materials that mirror medical care, such as gauze and bandages, along with glass and light, the artist captures the delicacy of the human condition during moments of vulnerability.
Simultaneously, these works illuminate the strength and resilience that can emerge through care and solidarity. The interaction between materials and themes touching on prevention and the psychosomatic aspects of the cancer experience symbolizes humanity's ability to find strength and hope through the support of others. The transformation of pain and uncertainty into creation, as depicted in these works, represents the healing power of art and human consciousness.
The exhibition serves as a space for visitors to reflect on the dual nature of the cancer experience: the fragility and isolation it brings, contrasted with the collective strength and solidarity that can emerge from it.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the exhibition's artworks will help launch a pilot program for research and implementation of group art psychotherapy sessions for women affected by cancer.
Additionally, the Breast Centre of Cyprus is organizing a series of events to raise cancer awareness through creative activities, informational sessions, and psychological support. The public can attend workshops, talks, and another art exhibition titled Breast Cancer: From Diagnosis to Treatment. Do We Treat the Disease or the Patient? A Multidisciplinary Approach.
The art exhibition by Eleni Petridou Bouriti on the cancer experience will be held from October 22 to November 9 at the Breast Centre of Cyprus in Nicosia, with the opening night at 6 PM. The center's hours are Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM. For more information, call 22-054545.