Mastectomy & Reconstruction

By Susan Olivera

“This is a Xylography, a print of an engraving or carving. This one is on wood. I cut the wood in the shape of a woman’s torso, then I carved the art you see here. The classic way of printing: is black over white paper but to add some feeling I prepared a watercolor paper using gauze and then printed.

The lotus flower symbolizes the beauty that can bloom over muddy circumstances so that’s why it’s positioned over the markings for the Mastectomy. On the left is the tissue expander for the reconstruction process.

Later I removed my Reconstruction, that story will come in a future art piece.”