Uterus
In the early 80's, Joyce endured an ectopic pregnancy before giving birth to her two children.
Biopsy Needle
Joyce had countless biopsies over the course of her treatment. Her biopsy count increased starting around 2017, as the cancer began appearing in the soft cell tissue of her liver, kidney, and lungs.
Bottle of Pills
Representing the 25 years worth of pharmentecials that Joyce has taken, everything from over-the-counter medicine to chemotherapy drugs.
Hip
Unrelated to cancer, Joyce developed arthritis in both of her hips. Eventually both were replaced. That model hip was later recalled, and although Joyce never experienced any lingering issues with it, it was a source of existential anxiety.
Femur
During hip replacement surgery it is standard procedure for the surgeon to break off a part of the patient's femur to set the hip.
Biohazard Bin
As a result of her first hip surgery, Joyce developed blood clots in her leg and was briefly hospitalized, as her doctor's feared the clots might detach and potentially kill her.
Needles
To treat blood clots, Joyce was forced to inject a needle containing the anticoagulant heparin into her abdomen before disposing in a biohazard bin.
Breast Prosthetics
When her breast cancer recurred in 2000, Joyce underwent a successful mastectomy. A few years later, she was forced to go through it all again.
Saline & Tubing
Following her mastectomies, Joyce had reconstructive plastic surgery to address nerve damage and lingering pain she was experiencing as a result of the procedures.
Swabs, scissors, & scalpel
Joyce’s root canals were a preventative procedure. A possible side effect of her bone strengthing medication was avascular necrosis, which increased her risk of infection should she need future dental work.
Radiation Mask
The radiation treatment for Joyce's Stage IV cancer included this mask that was strapped over her face and then screwed into the table, ensuring that her head and neck were perfectly still and in the precise position to irradiate her neck.
C2 Vertebrae
The final component of this initial Stage IV treatment was a surgery to fill in a badly damaged vertebrae with bone cement.
Port Needle
In the years following the Stage IV diagnosis, Joyce’s treatment moved from oral chemotherapy pills to the more traditional injections. Because her veins were difficult to find and frequently resulted in multiple attempts to stab her with a needle, the decision was made to have a chemotherapy port permanently installed in her chest for ease of access.
Specula
When a secondary, endometrial cancer formed in the lining of her uterus, Joyce underwent a hysterectomy to remove it.
High Sugar Meter
A new medication increased Joyce’s likelihood of developing blood clots, and the medication to counteract the clotting resulted in her becoming pre-diabetic and having to closely monitor her blood sugar levels.
Hair/Wig
Eventually, Joyce was left with no other option than aggressive chemotherapy, resulting in one of her least favorite cancer side effects... the loss of her hair.
Gloves/Hospice
After making the decision to end treatment, Joyce was placed directly into Hospice Care. Over the next few months, her condition worsened, essentially rendering her bedridden and requiring a helping (gloved) hand to complete simple tasks.
Deconstruction
– The piece that started it all.
Joyce originally conceived the idea that would become Deconstruction as a mental exercise to cope with the continual changes to her body. Inspired by a piece of artwork that her daughter Carson created in kindergarten, Joyce imagined herself laid out on an operating table. She is attended to by surgeons, doctors, and observers as they take pieces of her body away from her, one by one, like a giant game of Operation.
Joyce always maintained that the procedures might modify her body, but they could never alter her quintessential Joyce-ness – that would survive and flourish. She felt that having a creative, mental exercise was a way to take the burden off her shoulders and create beauty and humor out of the literal deconstruction of her figure.
The resulting piece is a 4×7-foot life-sized photograph of Joyce on canvas. To her left and right are a series of artifacts from her cancer treatment corresponding to parts of her body that were replaced, removed, or altered.
While it was Joyce’s and Alex’s intent to create Deconstruction entirely on their own, it became apparent that additional expertise was required and daughter Carson was soon recruited to the project. After Joyce’s death, Carson and Alex resolved to complete the piece on her behalf.
Artists: Joyce Mallonee, Alex Mallonee, Carson Kljavin
Materials: Photo on canvas, artifacts
Despite attending art school, Joyce chose not to pursue a career in art. She instead blended her affinity for art with her passion for food, starting a creative consultancy for food brands. But despite a thriving professional career, she always retained her desire to create art, especially as her cancer progressed. With Deconstruction Joyce found a way to blend that desire with her professional skill set to truly express herself and hopefully inspire others to do the same. Even though she’s not here to witness it, she has succeeded.
Alex has wanted to be a filmmaker since he was a little boy. He can’t remember the exact moment when he made this monumental life decision, but none of it would have been possible without the support of his mother. He was intrigued when she mentioned the idea of Deconstruction to him, and saw an opportunity to support her creative pursuit as she had done countless times for him. He misses his Mom, but is thankful that he got to spend as much time with her as he did and has this project to stay connected with her. Oh, and he’s making a documentary about this whole process!
Carson’s initial role in Deconstruction was as a listener, helping foster Joyce’s vision along with big-picture thinking and helpful suggestions. With a background in interior architecture, Carson focused on how the viewer would experience the show as a whole. As Joyce faced the reality that she could not physically create Deconstruction herself, Carson stepped in to make it happen.