• malignancy •

intuitive mark-making with acrylic marker and indian ink on MDF board; base coat consisting of water-based paint and enamel spray paint

malignancy [3]

malignancy [6]

"A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control.
Malignant cells can spread through the blood and lymph systems into surrounding tissues."¹

Processes unfolding unseen within our body each day.
Growth - when uncontrolled - becoming self- destructive.

© Rachel Hampton

exhibition layout / © Rachel Hampton

opening night speech / © Rachel Hampton

© Rachel Hampton

"Her strong interest in science and biology drives the pointillistic, yet abstract approach of her art.
Cell structures, star constellations and coral reefs are some of the phrases viewers mention in relation
to her work."²

Since a young age, I have been fascinated by biology and science, informing myself about cell structures, organisms and scientific research. Cancer played a large role in my life, due to my mum living with the disease for 15 years. Therefore, one could see this body of work as a tribute to my mum's journey and to everyone who has lost a loved one to cancer.

"It is, what it is" and "what will be, will be" were phrases that came up regularly when speaking with my mum. Cancer is a sum of cells that went on a different journey - and she knew that resentment or hatred towards them would not benefit her in any way. For that reason, it was important to me to create works that remain 'neutral' - no bad, but also no good connotation. "Just a sum of cells" within negative space, as if observed under a microscope. The black represents the processes that unfold unseen and the blue stands for the changes that occur noticeably. While parts of the works were completed using white acrylic markers, I decided to introduce ink and a brush (see below), allowing me to create finer layers, which resulted in more detailed structures.

brushwork with indian ink

during opening night

'Malignancy' was part of a group exhibition, for which I designed the promotional material. The exhibition was called 'Eclectic', and combined recent, as well as previous bodies of work.

final exhibition poster

first layout for postcards & poster

opening night invite

¹NIH, “malignancy“, NCI Dictionaries, nD, https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/malignancy

²Exhibiton Statement

happy browsing ✺

• one square inch of silence •

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