Cheer Me Up, Cheer Me On is an exhibition of new and existing work from multimedia artist Valerie George (she/her). Building on a body of work, entitled Welcome to My Party, that documents her experience of breast cancer at various stages of treatment through multimedia installation and photography, Cheer Me Up, Cheer Me On pays homage to performance within the artist’s punk cultural lineage to unpack the ongoing transformation of her body and spirit.
By interweaving the aesthetics of celebration, punk music and culture, with nods to art historical references (17th century Dutch still life painting, 15th-century Italian paintings of the Reclining Venus, Body Art of the 1970s) George expresses sarcasm, humor, and resolve to articulate a deeply personal narrative. The result is a ‘party’— a complex vehicle for mourning and celebration alike— and an address on gender, pain, bodily autonomy, and feminine power, full of candor.
~ elizabet elliot, Executive Director, Alabama Contemporary Art Center
By interweaving the aesthetics of celebration, punk music and culture, with nods to art historical references (17th century Dutch still life painting, 15th-century Italian paintings of the Reclining Venus, Body Art of the 1970s) George expresses sarcasm, humor, and resolve to articulate a deeply personal narrative. The result is a ‘party’— a complex vehicle for mourning and celebration alike— and an address on gender, pain, bodily autonomy, and feminine power, full of candor.
~ elizabet elliot, Executive Director, Alabama Contemporary Art Center
CONTENT WARNING: This video walkthrough and document of the exhibitions examines Breast Cancer Treatment images and explores the topic of mortality.
Special thanks to AnArchivist (Sean Linezo) for creating this document and interview with myself and ACAC curator, elizabet elliot.
Special thanks to AnArchivist (Sean Linezo) for creating this document and interview with myself and ACAC curator, elizabet elliot.