Art as a Beacon:
Navigating life after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease
Zoom Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84251645196
Sponsored by UVA Department of Neurology and UVA Medical Center Hour
After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2015, Torrance York, a fine arts photographer and educator, used her camera to integrate this life-altering information into her sense of self.
Through her project, Semaphore, York explores the shift in her perspective post-diagnosis and draws connections between the visual world and her internal experience. Presenting photographs of nature, the body, medical images, daily life, and light to capture her experience, York’s images bear human vulnerability, while connecting to her audience with optimism. York’s Semaphore project, collected in a book of the same name, speaks to anyone whose journey requires growth, patience, and perseverance.
About the speaker: Torrance York, an artist and educator, earned an MFA in photography from Rhode Island School of Design and a BA from Yale in American Studies. She received a Connecticut Artist Fellowship grant in 2010 and was a resident artist at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, one of the most respected visual arts programs in the country. She has exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work is represented by Rick Wester Fine Arts, NYC.
In 2022, York published her monograph Semaphore about the shift in her perspective after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Featured in various publications and podcasts, Semaphore has been awarded in Lenscratch’s 2021 Art & Science Awards and as a Critical Mass 2021 Finalist. Semaphore was selected as a favorite book of 2022 by online photography magazine What Will You Remember? This past summer York presented Semaphore at the World Parkinson’s Congress in Barcelona. A selection from Semaphore is currently on exhibit at the Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University in MA until January 28, 2024. https://www.torranceyork.com/about
Resources:
- Podcast: Interview with Sarah Sniderman, Vulnerability in Life and Art, Episode 61, July 10, 2023
- Interview: Torrance York – The Power of Creating Something Cannot be Overstated, by Scarlett Sherriff for Parkinson’s life: A Voice for the international Parkinson’s community. 22 September 2022
- Artist Interview: Semaphore, Fraction Magazine by Bree Lamb, 15th Anniversary Issue #167, June 2023
- Featured Portfolio: A Shared Journey – Starkman & York, Shadow & Light Magazine by E.E. McCollum, May/June 2023
- Torrance York: Semaphore, Lenscratch / Fine Art Photography Daily by Megan Ross, September 30, 2022
- Magsamen S, Ross I. Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us. Random House March 21, 2023. (https://www.yourbrainonart.com/)
- Fancourt D, Finn S. What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review [Internet]. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2019. (Health Evidence Network synthesis report, No. 67.) Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/what-is-the-evidence-on-the-role-of-the-arts-in-improving-health-and-well-being-a-scoping-review
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