Outside Room 8

When Dutch photographer Geert Broertjes was diagnosed with cancer, his artist colleague Lotte Bronsgeest asked if she could make a portrait of him, »still pure, without the presence of poisonous medicine in his body.« That became the start of this project, in which Lotte and Geert chose analog photography to visualize the experiences of a patient undergoing the three most common cancer treatments: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. They subjected film rolls and negatives to the same treatment a cancer patient’s body is subjected to. After the chemo, Geert’s urine was used to soak the film rolls. 4 x 5 inch film was radiated at the hospital. Burned negatives have become stand-ins for surgical procedures. Outside Room 8 is about the brutal reality in which vulnerability and strength play the lead roles and in which hope is the only constant factor.