Breast Cancer Now emphasised the need to continue research into incurable secondary breast cancer with a recent art exhibition that emphasised the true value of time for people living with cancer. Over the course of two days, the Saatchi Gallery displayed the collection, ‘Gallery of Hope’.

The exhibition featured people living with secondary breast cancer, some of the approximately 61,000 people currently affected in the UK. A series of images displayed the future moments that those living with the disease most hope to see.

The exhibition created with the help of agency, BMB, aims to highlight the need to continue research, which can lead to more treatments and, in turn, give those affected more time.

Accompanying the exhibition, a documentary film was released. It follows the story behind ‘Gallery of Hope’ and shares the personal experiences of participants. Short films for each portrait subject were directed by Jessie Ayles.

Produced by a combination of photography and AI, the collection was held on the 13th and 14th of March. It continues to be available via an online gallery and will be promoted on social media until the end of the month.

Renowned photographer, Jillian Edelstein, was commissioned to take portraits of the participants. These portraits were then used by AI models to produce art in the style of Edelstein. The final artworks were in keeping with Edelstein’s signature style, seen in her portraits of Nelson Mandela, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Kate Moss. For the AI element of the project, BMB partnered with Untold Studios.

The display showed scenes like Louise Hudson, a dancer and stage performer, performing a solo from The Nutcracker. Watched by her husband, she performs at the annual Chelsea Ballet School performance.

In another work, audiences see Nina Lopes walking around Japan with her teenage daughter dressed in traditional clothing. The snapshot features Japan’s famous cherry blossom trees, while Mel Khaled’s portrait features an olive tree in Cyprus. She is imagined hosting an opening party for a wellness retreat that she and her husband are planning to build.

Simon Vincent, Director of Research, Support and Influencing at Breast Cancer Now, spoke on the importance and impact of the work.

He said: “This exhibition hits home just how much more needs to be done for the estimated 61,000 people living with secondary breast cancer in the UK and the vital role of research in bringing hope – and indeed time – so that people with the disease live to see the future moments that matter so much to them”.

Poignantly, ‘Gallery of Hope’ demonstrates the value of time for those living with secondary breast cancer, showing the potential, hope and possibility that each moment holds. The meaningful moments imagined in each portrait serve as a reminder of the ongoing need for research into the disease to allow for more of that precious time.