Patti McLetchie
The project was designed to signify how breast cancer patients feel after they have gone through a mastectomy. The artist has a personal connection to this project as her best friend had breast cancer twice and went through a mastectomy. This project was to symbolize what she experiences on a daily basis. The idea was that as a society we focus on imperfections and tend to stare at what is uneven or what is not “beautiful” by society’s standards. The goal with the wearable media project was to be able to wear something that drew attention to one side like the unevenness of a post-mastectomy patient.
A cream lace bra was used to symbolize Caucasian skin. An “X” was designed out of 5 red leds on the left breast to symbolize where the cancer was and which breast had the mastectomy. The “X” was programed to fade on and off for a minute in a cycle. Women's breasts are often already the subject of gazing and critique. The fading red light was meant to bring additional attention to imbalance and to challenge our subconscious’ need for balance.