Elche photography exhibition shares women’s experiences of breast cancer

A new photography exhibition in Elche is exploring breast cancer through the personal experiences of women who have faced the disease. Mas alla de la piel, or Beyond the Skin, uses powerful images to look beyond a diagnosis and focus on the people, emotions and experiences behind it, while offering a message of hope to others undergoing treatment.

Beyond the Skin exhibition opens in Elche

Breast cancer is being explored through the experiences of women who have faced the disease in a new photography exhibition in Elche.

Mas alla de la piel, or Beyond the Skin, can be visited until Saturday, October 31, at the former chapel of Las Clarisas.

Organised by Elche Council and AMACMEC, the exhibition uses photography to show the people and emotions behind a breast cancer diagnosis, rather than focusing solely on the illness itself.

The exhibition forms part of Elche’s activities during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is intended to encourage reflection, empathy and greater understanding.

Personal experiences offer a message of hope

The project developed from conversations between several women from AMACMEC while they were undergoing treatment.

Association president Consuelo Martinez said the aim is to show that life continues after the disease and to offer a message of hope to others going through treatment.

By placing individual experiences at the centre of the exhibition, the project seeks to highlight the emotional journey that can accompany breast cancer as well as the process of moving forward.

Photographs capture different stages of the journey

Photographer Nerea Perez said one of the challenges was publicly portraying experiences that can leave women feeling vulnerable.

Her photographs capture different stages of the journey, from the initial impact of receiving a diagnosis to moving forward with hope.

Elche councillor for Social Action Celia Lastra encouraged residents to visit and highlighted the importance of putting faces and individual experiences behind the disease.

Beyond the Skin remains open at the former chapel of Las Clarisas in Elche until Saturday, October 31.