What if you knew when your time was up? Join artist Ted Meyer for three nights of genetics, art, and scars at the Indiana Memorial Union. Since childhood, Mr. Meyer turned to art to help him get through long hospital stays and to express the distress he felt from the constant pain of Gaucher's disease. When medical advances offered Meyer respite from his condition, he kept making art but was unsure of the direction to take. A chance meeting with a woman who had suffered a spinal cord injury led to his new direction: the “Scarred for Life” project.
Mr. Meyer is the Artist in Residence at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine and a curator of the Hoyt Gallery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He’s spent over two decades creating a graphic yet beautiful depiction of people’s suddenly altered bodies and the resulting scars in an ever-enlarging collection of artworks entitled “Scarred for Life.” This project continues to grow and now consists of almost 100 artistically enhanced monoprints taken directly from the scarred skin of his subjects. Each image – accompanied by a photographic portrait taken by Ted and a written story by his subject - tells a unique and intriguing story of medical crisis, resilience, and healing.
Over three days, Mr. Meyer will present in Bloomington, IN, at the Indiana Memorial Unions’ Statewide East and West rooms. Each night will begin at 6:00pm with hors d'oeuvres and exhibition time. Exhibitions will consist of the “Scarred for Life '' project and a selection of his favorite work by patients/artists that he has exhibited at the Hoyt Gallery.
At 7:00pm guests will be encouraged to join Ted for a different session each night. Night one will be all about “Scarred for Life.” On night two, Mr. Meyer will be joined by Dominic Quagliozzi, who is diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, for a discussion entitled “Don’t be Afraid to Heal.” On the third night, we invite those attending to share their stories with Ted and the audience.
While in Bloomington, Mr. Meyer is offering screen printing for anyone wishing to have their scar memorialized. Those interested in sharing their story or having their scar printed should contact Alex Buchanan at albuchan@indiana.edu to schedule a time.
Seating is limited, and registration is required. “Voices of Healing: Life Beyond Genetic Disorders” is a presentation of the Indiana University Interprofessional Practice and Education Center in association with the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art. Registration is available at the following link: https://go.iu.edu/4E8Z