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thanks for the mammaries
August 3, 2014

Artist Turns Breast Cancer Into Cause for Humorous, Boob–Themed Art Show

By Isabel Wilkinson

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Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries

Last January, Los Angeles–based artist Bettina Hubby was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. When she told friends and family, “they all reacted with panic and fear and sadness,” she says. “I couldn’t get my head around how that would feel in my community — to have all of that coming back at me at a time when I just needed the opposite. So I thought, Okay, I need to do this differently.”

The night before her mastectomy in April, Hubby created a new Facebook event and titled it “Thanks for the Mammaries.” She invited Facebook friends to send her “jokes, pictures, and boobs.” Before she went into surgery the next morning, she opened the social network to find dozens — and then hundreds — of messages of support, photos, and boob jokes. Friends had blanketed her Facebook wall with breasts hiding in plain sight, like oranges in the produce aisle or on the Land O’Lakes carton. “I went into surgery feeling like I had accomplished something beautiful,” she said. When she came out the other side, she, too, noticed boobs were everywhere:  Home Depot! A funny-looking potato! Andy Rooney! “It dawned on me quite quickly that the way to go was to announce it, and not to be private about it, and not to be afraid of what people saw, or any kind of judgment,” she says. “It actually became even more clear that it would help other people if I approached it with some kind of humor.”

Bettina Hubby Photo: Steven Rimlinger

Soon, she decided to curate an exhibition around her realization — inviting artists around the country to submit boob-themed art. And, after months of work, the show — entitled “Thanks for the Mammaries” — opened on Thursday at ForYourArt in Los Angeles, with more than a 100 works celebrating breasts. For the occasion, she printed out a 35-foot-long version of her Facebook wall, filled with funny pictures and messages, on silk and hung it in the show. Click through our slideshow for highlights from the exhibition.

“Thanks for the Mammaries: Artists Uniting With Breast Intentions” is on view at ForYourArt in Los Angeles through August 17. A portion of the proceeds to go the Cancer Support Community — Benjamin Center.

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1 / 30 Photos
Adria Pauli Chesticles Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Alexandra Wiesenfeld For Bettina 2 Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Amy Russel Boob Hat Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Alison Kudlow Leaking Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Amy Russel Untitled  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Ander Sanborn Boob Tattoo Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Angel Chen Sex Tips 1. How to Touch Her Breasts  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Ashton Allen Airy-Oh-La Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Austin Young Tranimal Workshop Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Bob Dornberger #130 Kumquats Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Dani Tull Circles and Shapes Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Daphne Mangin Second Base Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
David P. Earle Peaks Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
David Lloyd Untitled Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Brianne Latthitham Boobly A Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Gary Cannone T&A, Q&A Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
George Stoll Untitled (Golden Valentine) Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Steven Hayes Rimlinger Bettina Hubby Portrait 2 Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Jessica Huston Untitled Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
John Knuth Portrait of My Friend Bettina Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
John Orvis Burlesque Dancer (Theresa Christine, whose burlesque persona is Miss Sweet Tea, performs in 50 Mason Social House, San Francisco) Pho... John Orvis Burlesque Dancer (Theresa Christine, whose burlesque persona is Miss Sweet Tea, performs in 50 Mason Social House, San Francisco) Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
LuLu LoLo Bareback to Back  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Marcella Ruble Tit Sign Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Micol Hebron In Decent Exposure: Café  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Omar Lopex Diana, Film Still Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Paula Goldman Full of Life Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Paula Tiberius IT IS A BIG FUCKING DEAL Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Savannah Kingsley Smith and Bettina Hubby Boob Collaboration  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Tomi Hurtado Sher For B  Photo: Courtesy of Thanks for the Mammaries
Hubby printed her Facebook wall, filled with positive messages from friends and family, on 35-foot-long pieces of silk fabric for the show. Photo: St... Hubby printed her Facebook wall, filled with positive messages from friends and family, on 35-foot-long pieces of silk fabric for the show. Photo: Steven Rimlinger
1 / 30

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