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Tailor-Made

About the project

Tailor-Made is an active participatory project that looks insight into individuals have a relationship with cancer through wearable art. It allows participants to learn about the microscopic features of tissue samples and to use it as stimulus to design their own jewellery piece telling their own personal stories of their cancer journey. The process of this project involves on three-way partnership between artist/scientist/community to promote cancer awareness & research, archive memories and break social taboos in life. 

(All image credits: Robert Taylor)
 

Tailor-Made: Just Breathe Ring, 2022

Tailor-Made: Participant Portrait with Ear Climber, 2022

Tailor-Made: Son and Mum, 2022

Tailor-Made: Young Person Looking at Resin Jewellery, 2022

Tailor-Made: Clasped Hand Pendant, 2022

Tailor-Made: Resin Pendant, 2022

Tailor-Made: Ear Climbers, 2022

Tailor-Made: Cancerous Tissues, image credit: Prof T Marafioti Lab, 2022

About the artists

Two women lean on each other and smile to the camera
Kassandra Lauren Gordon is an award-winning conceptual jeweller/Goldsmith and jewellery content creator based in east London. She has studied jewellery manufacture and design in Hatton Garden. Kassandra was a former social researcher, youth worker, community worker and domestic violence professional. She has always wanted to empower people to find their voice, especially when life is not easy. On 17 June 2020 she wrote an open letter to the jewellery industry about the experience of Black Jewellers and Silversmiths and industry professionals, highlighting how current practices and systems limit accessibility/entry into the trade for Black people. Kassandra has been appointed by Birmingham City University as a Visiting Professor and Industry Fellow.

Ayse U. Akarca is a research fellow at UCL Cancer Institute and works in the team of Prof.  Teresa Marafioti.  Ayse is involved in the research that focuses on the development and application of tissue- based assays to study molecules that have novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potentials. She uses computerised image analysis tools for tumour microenvironment related studies to investigate the mechanisms underpinning cancer biology. Ayse  is also an artist and she uses her artistic skills to create abstract paintings inspired by her scientific work. She is very much keen to explore creative ideas to experiment and understand their impact on cancer awareness and research in life by attracting wider society

Join the festival

Free, Open daily: 
The Art Pavilion, Mile End Park, E3 4QY
29 April - 8 May, 11:00 - 18:00

NO BOOKING NEEDED. More details on the location and accessibility.

WORKSHOP:
Tailor-made: using art to tell personal stories
Sat 7 May, 14:00 - 16:00

In this interactive art workshop you will work with jewellery designer and artist Kassandra Gordon and artist and scientist Ayse Akarca to explore ways of telling stories through art making. 
Kassandra and Ayse have been working with people who have a relationship with cancer to create wearable art. Using images of the microscopic features of tissue samples they designed their own jewellery piece telling their own personal stories of their cancer journey.
Starting with themes of family, heritage, science and health in your own life, you will use paint, drawing, poetry and jewellery design to create an art work.

 

BOOK HERE

 

Join the conversation

On Twitter

@UCLEastEngage
@klgjewellery
@ayseuakarca

On Instagram

@UCLEastEngage 
@klgjewellery
@ayseuakarca

 

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