Resisting Cure Culture.

Resisting Cure Culture explores the challenges and triumphs of living with chronic illness in a society fixated on finding end-all cures. The sick role in capitalist society is defined as the rights and obligations that come with being sick, which include the exemption of normal responsibilities, not being blamed for the illness, a duty to want to recover, and an obligation to seek medical assistance.  With this generalized role that “the ill” are supposed to follow, people with stigmatized and chronic illnesses fall through the cracks. Resisting Cure Culture is a project that embraces the idea that the sick role must be individually redefined, alleviating the pressure to be cured. Drawing upon my own experiences with self-healing practices acting as maintenance care, I demonstrate resistance. 

The desire to recover was missing when I was seeking a cure for my medical conditions, a cure that is not available now or in the foreseeable future. Maintenance care was the answer to my problem,  taking small steps to create a liveable life. The photo series contains intimate snapshots of my daily routines and moments of self-nurturing. I invite viewers to reconsider the dominant narratives around sickness and healing. Illness is not always a temporary state, and ongoing practices and accommodations allow me to thrive within my circumstances. 

I have a longstanding influence of the great artist Frida Kahlo. In the series, you can see my tattoo of her on my arm as well as other Frida memorials in the background of my home. Influenced by Kahlo's self-portraits fearlessly depicting her own physical and emotional pain, I turn the lens on my own life. Each image is a small victory as well as a form of medication for the body and soul. From reminding myself to stay hydrated to taking breaks from painting by lying on the floor, these snapshots reframe daily tasks as triumphant moments to celebrate. 

“Resisting Cure Culture” is a celebration of resilience and a greater call for empathy and accessibility in a work-driven society. By sharing my story, I create space for others to honor their struggles and triumphs and to challenge the ableist structures that perpetuate shame and isolation. Inviting the viewer to reimagine a society that embraces care in all its forms, “Resisting Cure Culture” is not a finite destination but an ongoing imperfect, personal, and essential human process.