“The Unsilent Woman” is a mixed-media art work by Tammy Carmona. The piece depicts a female shape morphed with a violin. 3D elements – bow, strings, hair, and butterfly clip – create a multi-textural experience.

This is an intensely emotional piece that symbolizes Tammy’s battle with breast cancer. Every part of this image has a significance related to cancer.

When Tammy was initially diagnosed, it seemed that the treatment would involve operation on only 1 side – hence the “half-woman / half-violin” theme.

A violin is hollow inside, reflecting the feeling of desolation that comes with hearing words like “malignant”, “invasive”, and “multi-focal”. In a moment, everything stops and you feel like an empty shell. 

The woman is facing away from the viewer, anonymous. Her identity doesn’t matter – she’s Every Woman who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Holding her hair is also symbolic – one of the most-common effects of radiation and chemotherapy is losing hair. Along with mastectomy, this is a de-feminizing and de-humanizing experience. She’s touching her hair (extensions), wishing to remember the feel and texture of it before it’s gone for months, taking away some of her beauty with it.

The brooch is a butterfly, symbolizing hope and rebirth. Breaking free of the cocoon, it turns into something beautiful and flies away into a bright future.

The artwork also synthesizes feminist influences and philosophy, celebrating the power of the woman overcoming life’s challenges. Despite loss, despite pain, she’s still here, ready to make beautiful music. This is the essence of a survivor – someone who doesn’t let tragedy break them, but finds strength in pain instead. She will not let pain or disease silence her creativity. She’s The Unsilent Woman.