Drawing Cancer

In this combined talk and workshop, Dr Eleanor Dare will introduce their drawing practice, outlining its connection to their research around large image data sets and AI Forensics with PI Dr Leonardo Impett at Cambridge Digital Humanities. They will discuss how their drawing and experience of cancer challenges the representational and "prosumer" model of generative AI images. They will explore how our embodiment, experience and connection—along with the "liveness" of drawing materials and surfaces—can bring a form of presence and focus to our lives, even in the most stressful moments. Dr Dare will also reflect on how their experience as an artist with cancer resonates with Tracey Emin’s perspective on the intensified importance of art following her cancer diagnosis.

At the 45-minute mark, participants will begin a drawing exercise that involves movement with accommodations provided for participants with limited mobility. Following the movement-based drawing, the group will have the opportunity to share their experiences and appreciate each other’s drawings before taking a brief break.

In the second hour, the focus will shift to identifying and drawing infrastructures and human labour that we might not normally notice. Dr Dare will briefly introduce Matteo Pasquinelli’s ideas regarding AI—not as a biomimetic set of processes, but as a spatial system entangled with divisions and occlusions of human labour. Participants will then draw their sensory selves in that moment, before a collaborative curation of the group’s work, including feedback, questions, and further ideas for discussion. Paper, charcoal, pencils, crayons and all materials will be provided.