Experience the journey of Mika, a breast cancer survivor who chose to go flat, as she takes a stand against beauty standards imposed by art and its damaging impact on women’s medical care.
Surgery can change bodies. Art can change minds.
Throughout history,
art has always dictated the beauty standard for women.impacting women’s lives even when receiving medical care.
Nearly 100,000 women with breast cancer undergo a mastectomy every year in the US.
Many are never given The option of Aesthetic Flat Closure (“going flat”)as an alternative to the only option presented: reconstructive surgery to produce breast mounds.
To challenge the preconceived notions of what makes a woman beautiful, Not Putting on a Shirt partnered with Decorus Atelier of Figurative Art and asked a class of artists to portray a new model:
a breast cancer survivor who chose to go flat.
- Additional health issues and side effects including loss of muscle strength and recurrent infections and surgeries
- Faster recovery time and return to daily life
- Concerns about cost of surgeries and post-op care for patients without health insurance
- Not wanting a foreign object, like a breast implant, in their body
- Concerns on how breast reconstruction will impact their body image
“We want to show the unconscious beauty standards that are imposed on women every day, and how damaging that can be when it comes to medical decisions. Breast cancer survivors deserve to have their voices heard and their decisions respected - regardless of if they want reconstructive surgery or not.”
Nolan S. Karp. MD
Specialist in breast plastic surgery and cosmetic plastic surgeon
Breast Cancer Survivors
Members of the flat community
Artists
Students and instructors of Decorus Atelier of Figurative Art
