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| Printed in the Sacramento Bee on Thursday, June 5, 2003 ---------------------------------------------------------- People Show is creative response to pain Bee Regional Staff
Mark Collen wants to show something that can't be seen. Words fail to describe it. Only art can convey his idea -- his knowledge -- of pain. Collen, a Rosemont resident, is assembling artwork for a traveling exhibit portraying pain. "It's an invisible problem," he said. "If you can't see it, most people don't believe it." Collen said undertreatment of pain is a major problem that goes undetected. He cited statistics from the American Chronic Pain Association stating the U.S. economy loses about $90 million each year in lost productivity and medical costs related to pain.
Since the injury and surgery, he and his wife divorced, and he hasn't worked because of the pain, he said. After four years and thoughts of suicide, he found a pain specialist who helped him function. Now he meditates 90 minute each day, swims and sees a pain specialist and psychologist. He invested himself more deeply in art after the injury, he said. "Making art helped me get through the crisis," he said. In a partnership with the California Assembly of Local Art Agencies, Collen has been recruiting artists, locally and internationally, to submit work for his exhibition. He's received about 100 packages so far and met quite a few like-minded people. "You don't feel as isolated when you meet other people in the same situation," he said. He hopes to raise the funds to stage a 75-piece exhibition in Sacramento and then throughout the world. This will be the first exhibition he organizes but his second chance at showing his own pain art. Last August in San Diego , he displayed his work at a gathering of the International Association for the Study of Pain. "The bottom line is: I want to end unnecessary suffering," he said. "For doctors, family members, society in general -- so they won't be sneering at people who park in handicapped spots because they look healthy." To contact Collen, call (916) 362-0363 or e-mail Mrc823@juno.com. ------------------------------- |
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© 2008 Pain Exhibit. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Collen has wrestled with pain since October 1995 when he injured his back lifting a box. The day before, he had won a national sales award for accomplishments at Nationwide Insurance.