Things I Am, Things I Used To Be

The themes in Cravens’ work have consistently revolved around her autobiographical narrative. Since her and her father’s cancer treatments, much of her work directly addresses cancer.  Things I Am, Things I Used To Be deals with the aftermath of cancer on family, the struggle to adapt to a new normal, and the discovery of identity through these experiences.  The pieces in this exhibition accomplish this through looking at medical imagery, appropriated family photos, the recreation of memory, and an exploration of the body. 

Things I Am, Things I Used To Be is a physical representation of the lasting effects of Cravens' and her father’s experiences with cancer.  While over a decade past her own treatment, the process and the effect of the experiences continue to be a part of her identity.  It molded and changed who Cravens is, and how she approaches the world.  This exhibition is a case study for Cravens’ evolving experiences and identity, grounded in hospitals and deciphered out of an understanding of mortality.