Facing MS began as an online photographic project interviewing individuals living with MS who are dealing with the uncertainty of this progressive disease in their own unique ways, and on their own terms. Lead artist Elizabeth Jameson in collaboration with photographer Richard Bermack photographed and interviewed participants from diverse ages, stages of disease, race, cultures and economic backgrounds, capturing the the intimate expressions of six individuals as they discuss the emotional complexity of living with disease. Facing MS invites the viewer to stare directly at those who deal with disability and provide a glimpse into the lives of those who face the unpredictable challenges of illness
The project has since evolved into #FacingMS, a multi-media art installation designed to transform the waiting room. With the goal of expanding the project to continue to honor peoples’ unique journeys with illness, #FacingMS takes a three-pronged approach to community building, aimed to utilize the untapped potential of time spent in waiting rooms.
#FacingMS encourages visibility through portraiture that features people living with disease (specifically MS), sparking conversation through an interactive written exchange, and honoring the journeys of those whose lives are touched by illness through outreach and off-site interviews that contribute to an online presence of the project. Our goal is to invite connection and invoke a sense of community in the waiting room. To bring a sense of meaning and purpose into the waiting room is a healing act.
#Facing MS is currently seeking clinics to launch a pilot installation; please contact us for more information.
Thank You
Facing MS would never have come about without the generous financial support of our friends and colleagues, especially the members of the Mother-Lawyers group who provided the bulk of the financing for Facing MS and have been among Jameon Fine Art’s most avid cheerleaders for many years. Special thanks to Jody LeWitter and Marc Van Der Hout for their contribution to Facing MS and their ongoing support. David Berry has been an enthusiastic backer of all Jameson Fine Art endeavors and we are indebted to him for his generosity. Lastly, special thanks to Lacey Haslam for launching this website.
Elizabeth Jameson
Leave a Reply