Mammary Mountain is an intimate, immersive virtual reality (VR) and embodied haptic experience that explores dis-ease within the body and its relationship to the broader context of the land. These pressing themes and social realities are explored through the prism of one of the artists, Tara Baoth Mooney’s, experience of breast cancer, interwoven with other patients’ and survivors’ stories of their cancer treatment, trauma, and recovery. “Patients” are slowly dressed in a mammography gown, over which a specially designed haptic garment is wrapped. Each participant also wears a VR headset while sitting in a bespoke chair. The narrative is then embodied through the haptic garment, which vibrates in areas of the body often affected by pain or discomfort mapped to the breast lymph nodes of the chest, underarm, and back.

Within the world of Mammary Mountain, participants navigate a space that straddles perceptions of dream-like other worlds and everyday reality. The work aims to ignite new public engagement, validate survivors’ experiences, and inform others, ultimately resulting in a more nuanced and holistic understanding and empathy of the breast cancer treatment experience.

This incredible piece of work is coming to a street space in Carrick on Shannon, from the 20th -23rd of November where members of the public are  invited to come and experience the work.

This will be accompanied by an Artist Talk in The Dock Arts Centre : time tbc. 

Full details in the coming week. 

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.