Layers of Becoming Brings Art, Reflection to Moncrief Cancer Institute

The Art Galleries at TCU and Moncrief Cancer Institute are showcasing contemporary art in a space of care with Layers of Becoming, an exhibition exploring how memory, identity and experience shape who we are — and whom we are becoming.

Curated by Michelle Pritchard ’24, the exhibition features paintings and textile works by Fort Worth artist Anna Pham. Drawing from her experiences as a first-generation Vietnamese American, Pham uses vibrant color, intricate stitching and symbolic imagery to explore growth, resilience and transformation.

For Sara-Jayne Parsons, director of the Art Galleries at TCU, those themes take on additional meaning within Moncrief.

“I think that the suggestion Anna’s work presents — of identity always being in progress — is something that cancer patients at Moncrief can relate to,” Parsons said. “During treatment, they experience physical changes and mental challenges such that they learn things about themselves or see the world with a new perspective.” 

        
Curating Art in a Space of Care 
Pritchard was initially drawn to Pham’s use of color, layering and storytelling, as well as the vulnerability of work rooted in the artist’s identity and experiences.

“We go through so many different phases of life and experiences that shape us into who we are currently and who we may become,” Pritchard said, speaking on the exhibition’s title.

Curating for a healthcare environment also requires a different approach. Pritchard drew from her own experiences living with Type 1 diabetes and watching her mother undergo breast cancer treatment. She considered how patients, families and healthcare professionals may encounter the same space — and its artwork — from very different perspectives.

One consideration was avoiding what Pritchard describes as “overwhelming optimism.” Rather than asking patients to view Pham’s experiences as a model for approaching their own circumstances, the exhibition leaves room for individual responses.

“We wanted to find a balance between hopefulness and resilience while still acknowledging the reality and complexity of what people may be experiencing,” Pritchard said.

The exhibition is part of an ongoing partnership between Moncrief Cancer Institute and the School of Art exploring the relationship between art and medicine. TCU graduate students are selected as guest curators and mentored by Art Galleries staff through the exhibition-making process, creating opportunities to gain professional curatorial experience outside a traditional gallery.

For Pritchard, the goal is ultimately to offer viewers a moment of connection. 
“I hope viewers can take whatever they need from the exhibit, whether that is a moment of reflection, a connection to a memory or a sense of playfulness,” she said.