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A vibrant, three-panel mural depicting how tumor tissue donation fuels scientific breakthroughs will soon be on display on the VCU Health campus for all to see.  

The mural, titled “Brushstrokes of Discovery,” features a design created by three local artists: Khalid Thompson, Silly Genius and Rain Spann. The trio collaborated to develop the design for this community art initiative and visually represent phases of the cancer research process: Facing Cancer, Science at Work and Restoring Tomorrow.

The project was led by Jennifer Koblinski, Ph.D., researcher at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and associate professor in VCU’s Department of Pathology, and Nina Dashti-Gibson, M.D./Ph.D. candidate in VCU’s School of Medicine.

“Our goal was to celebrate the contributions that patients have made to cancer research through tissue donation, as well as communicate the importance of collecting samples that represent people of all backgrounds,” said Dashti-Gibson. “It's inspiring to take what I'm working on in the lab and share it with community members who have a personal connection to cancer or may just be curious about the research that's going on at Massey. We rely heavily on patient tissue donations to advance our research and make discoveries, so it's important to find ways to share these discoveries with the community that makes our work possible.”

The opportunity for this artwork arose when Koblinski and Dashti-Gibson received a $5,000 Community-Engaged Data Dissemination of Research Findings Grant from the VCU Office of the Provost, which provided their team a chance to share scientific research with the community in a unique way.

Their idea? Develop a cancer research-themed art project, designed by local artists, that the public can participate in to foster community engagement and inform them of the importance of tumor tissue donation in advancing cancer research.

But planning a community mural is no simple task. To assist in the process, they enlisted Ron Thompson, a Massey Cancer Champion and community advocate, who had experience developing a mural project with Massey in Petersburg, Virginia, to help guide the project planning.

Bringing the art to life

After months of strategic planning, the team recently brought Brushstrokes of Discovery to life. Koblinski, Dashti-Gibson, Ron Thompson, and the artists all convened at the RVA Big Market at Bryan Park to make art, engage with the community, and share Massey’s research work with the public.

“Cancer touches our community in such a way that everybody is affected by it, artists included. It could be relatives or your own personal struggles you’re going through. I hope that my work lets people know that it starts from the biological level, and moves forward into research, then hopefully into cures,” said Khalid Thompson, a Richmond-based artist who led the design on the first panel, titled “Facing Cancer.”

Throughout the event, the team connected with the community, sharing Massey’s mission and how the mural represents the vision of advancing cancer research. Some attendees even tried their hand at adding some brushstrokes onto the paintings, making the project even more of a collaborative effort.

“We wanted to reach out to the community and show that we are making progress in cancer research. In fact, there’s been a nearly 36% decrease in cancer mortality over the last 30 years. We want them to engage with us and understand that we have a community-to-bench-to- bedside approach at Massey,” said Koblinski. “If you’re part of the community, you’ve added to this, and we care about you; we want you to be involved. Art brings people together, so that’s why Massey wants the community to be part of our work.”

To extend the reach and message of the artwork to more people, Koblinski plans to make the mural a traveling exhibit, moving the piece to different faith and community centers across the communities Massey serves every few weeks.

“This mural is more than paint on a board,” Koblinski said. “It is a living tribute to the brave individuals who have donated tissue to advance cancer research, and to the scientists who work tirelessly to transform those donations into life-saving discoveries. Every brushstroke tells a story of hope, partnership and progress.”

To learn more about the Brushstrokes of Discovery project and see the mural’s planned locations, visit the website.

Written by: Tatiana Del Valle