World Tour Of 'Oncology on Canvas' Art Exhibit To Make U.S. Debut At Harrison Center For The Arts In Indianapolis
May 16 2005 - 11:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
World Tour Of 'Oncology on Canvas' Art Exhibit To Make U.S. Debut
At Harrison Center For The Arts In Indianapolis More Than 300
Artworks Presented by Eli Lilly and the National Coalition for
Cancer Survivorship INDIANAPOLIS, May 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
"Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Woman's Cancer Journey," a
distinctive art exhibit traveling the world, is making its U.S.
debut, and its first stop is in Indianapolis, where the work of
several area residents will be featured. The exhibit, showcasing
hundreds of pieces of art created by those touched by cancer, will
open at the Harrison Center for the Arts, 1505 North Delaware
Street, on Friday, June 3 and will run through June 17. The
exhibition, which coincides with National Cancer Survivors Day(R)
on June 5, includes entries from cancer survivors from Indianapolis
and surrounding areas. Oncology on Canvas is presented by Eli Lilly
and Company, in partnership with the National Coalition for Cancer
Survivorship (NCCS). About the Artwork Oncology on Canvas began as
an international art competition open to women from around the
world diagnosed with cancer, their families and friends, as well as
healthcare professionals involved in their care, to express their
struggles and successes in battling this disease through art. Lilly
created the competition to recognize those women diagnosed with
cancer who have used art as a powerful emotional outlet to inspire
others as a means of self- discovery and self-expression. The
exhibition was unveiled at London's Royal College of Art in
December 2004. "Oncology on Canvas started out as a testament to
the struggles and hopes of all cancer survivors and the people who
care for them, including family, friends, advocates, and healthcare
professionals," said Edmundo Muniz, vice president of Lilly
Research Laboratories and Oncology Platform Team Leader. "It
quickly evolved into a lesson about taking one of life's most
difficult journeys, and imbuing it with a sense of meaning. At
Lilly, we now have a better understanding of the significance of
treating the person as well as the disease, and finding innovative,
meaningful ways of helping make her cancer journey more hopeful."
Oncology on Canvas received more than 400 submissions from 23
countries including Australia, Botswana, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico,
Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, the U.S. and U.K. The
competition yielded 24 winners in various categories including
photography, oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel and charcoal.
Monetary awards were provided to the winners' cancer charities of
choice. Local Entrant Painted for Mom Lori, a 28-year old art
teacher at an Indianapolis area high school, entered her acrylic
painting, "Free to Fly," in honor of her mother, who died of breast
cancer in December 2004, the same month that the Oncology on Canvas
exhibit first opened in London. Her painting depicts a woman's
graceful back, with two doves in flight behind her, one of them
holding a clock. "My mother survived with cancer for about three
years. She was grateful for the time she had, and credited modern
medicine for giving it to her. She said it gave her and others
'more time to fly.' I never realized just how strong she and other
women like her really are." Lori had previously lost two aunts to
breast cancer. The contest was the impetus for her to paint on the
subject of cancer. "Art lifts you out of your pain like nothing
else; it is very freeing." Lori's work will be on display in a
special section for entrants from the Indianapolis region.
Celebrating Survivorship The American Cancer Society estimates that
approximately 1.4 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer
this year, including more than 660,000 women. Advances in cancer
treatment have made many kinds of cancer manageable and in some
cases curable. But Ellen Stovall, two-time, 33-year cancer survivor
and president and CEO of the National Coalition for Cancer
Survivorship (NCCS), says the title of survivor is earned early on.
"The founders of NCCS defined a survivor as from the moment of
cancer diagnosis and for the balance of life, one is a survivor --
a definition that has now been accepted and adopted by the cancer
community," said Stovall. "And because Oncology on Canvas is about
survivorship -- the experience of living with, through and beyond a
cancer diagnosis -- NCCS is proud to be associated with it."
Following its U.S. debut in Indianapolis, Oncology on Canvas will
continue traveling to other cities in the U.S., as well as around
the world. Schedule of Events On Friday, June 3, the exhibit will
open with a reception and Open Studio Night at the Harrison Center
for the Arts, followed by live music at 9 p.m. The IDADA
(Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Association) First
Friday Shuttle Tour, sponsored by Lilly, will provide
transportation to and from the Harrison Center between 6 p.m. and
10 p.m. Oncology on Canvas will be open through June 17, during the
following times: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11
a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturdays. Admission is free. On Saturday, June 11,
the exhibit will be offered in conjunction with the Harrison
Center's Independent Music and Art Festival. Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly, a leading innovation-driven corporation, is developing a
growing portfolio of first-in-class and best-in-class
pharmaceutical products by applying the latest research from its
own worldwide laboratories and from collaborations with eminent
scientific organizations. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana,
USA, Lilly provides answers -- through medicines and information --
for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. O-LLY National
Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) NCCS is the oldest
survivor-led cancer advocacy organization in the country and a
highly respected authentic voice at the federal level, advocating
for quality cancer care for all Americans and empowering cancer
survivors. For more information about NCCS and its advocacy for
quality cancer care, please visit http://www.canceradvocacy.org/ or
call 1.877.NCCS.YES. Harrison Center for the Arts The Harrison
Center seeks to be a catalyst for renewal in the City of
Indianapolis by fostering an awareness, appreciation, and community
for art and art culture. The Center includes: 17 local artists,
three art galleries, The Underground Music Venue, VSA Arts, Herron
School of Art, Primary Colours, The Advent Project, The Nature
Conservatory, and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. For more
information on National Cancer Survivors Day, please long on to
http://www.ncsdf.org/ To view samples of the artwork from the
Exhibition, please log on to http://www.lillyoncology.com/ and
click on the Oncology on Canvas logo. National Cancer Survivors
Day(R) is a registered trademark of the National Cancer Survivors
Day Foundation, Inc. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050516/NCCSLOGO )
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031219/LLYLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050516/NCCSLOGO DATASOURCE:
Eli Lilly and Company CONTACT: Gregory Clarke of Eli Lilly and
Company, +1-317-276-5222, Pager: +1-877-892-7864, ; Chantal Samonte
of CPR Worldwide, +1-212-583-9290,
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