A woman with a terminal cancer diagnosis has auctioned off pieces of her remaining time to the public, as part of an exhibition at Carriageworks, Sydney.
Titled Time to Live, the exhibition saw members of the public pay for one-on-one interactions with Emily, a 31-year-old from Victoria, diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer with an average prognosis period of just six to nine months. Each interaction was set against the backdrop of a giant projected timer, counting down each participant’s 3-minute visit. A raw, intimate and fleeting encounter underscoring the emotional and psychological weight of living with, or being connected to someone with a terminal diagnosis.
In collaboration with Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), the exhibition, which received global coverage via The Guardian, marks the debut work for The Ministry for Communication & The Arts, the creative studio founded by former Droga5 New York creative directors and Hawke’s Brewing co-founders, Nathan Lennon and David Gibson.
David Gibson, co-founder and creative partner at The Ministry for Communication & The Arts’, said, “Unless we experience it ourselves, we can never know the devastating reality that comes with facing a terminal cancer diagnosis. While we could never replicate its raw impact, we hope this initiative underscores an important message: by supporting ACRF, we can help fund the research that gives people the one thing they need most — more time”.
As one of the leading causes of death in Australia, cancer claims 135 lives and results in 444 new diagnoses daily. Time to Live underscores ACRF’s mission to support research across all types of cancers, ensuring the most promising research across Australia receives the necessary funding.
“For 40 years, the ACRF has been funding only the most bold and innovative scientific research. That which has the ability to change the meaning of cancer diagnoses for future generations. But there’s still a long way to go. We hope this idea helps highlight the continued need to keep backing brilliant research that could give those impacted by cancer, like Emily and her loved ones, the most precious thing we all have – more time,” said Carly Du Toit, GM fundraising and marketing at ACRF.
Time to Live is supported by an online film that peels back the curtain of some of the private, intimate moments between Emily and her visitors, including her husband, Jason, who she met only three weeks before her diagnosis.
“This project embodies bravery on many levels. From Carly and ACRF’s willingness to take a chance on this concept, before relentlessly pursuing it the whole way through; to the visitors, production team and site crew, who committed to being part of an experience that provoked the rawest of emotions in all of us. But above all, it’s Emily’s bravery that made this possible. Time to Live is now part of her lasting legacy, and we are profoundly grateful that she allowed us to be part of her journey,” said Nathan Lennon, co-founder and creative partner at The Ministry for Communication & The Arts’.
