BOOK LOOK

Tribute to
Survivors

A book of photographs honors women and men
who have fought cancer.

BY SUZANNE CHESSLER

E

laine Saltsman is a Jewish artist from West Bloomfield who uses found objects to
express her point of view and call attention to issues. Jean Korotkin is a Jewish
artist from Dallas who uses photographs to express her point of view and call
attention to issues.
The artistry and objects of the two women intersect in Korotkin's 2004 book, Body & Soul
(Emmis Books; $40), which honors breast cancer survivors — female and male — by representing
each cancer fighter in artful black-and-white photographs and accompanying text.
Before her hair could be claimed by the effects of chemotherapy, Saltsman cut it off. She
then wove the snipped strands with gauze and intertwined wire of black (representing the can-
cer) and red (representing her life, saved by the treatments of similar hue that took over her
system) to create "The Healer," a symbolic chair she designed to communicate significant ele-
ments of her battle. In Korotkin's book, Saltsman is photographed holding her creation.
"I'm proud to be among these people," says the 60ish Saltsman, who has stood up to several
rounds of the disease and gives considerable credit for her positive attitude to her Southfield
oncologist, Dr. Lyle Goldman. "I wanted to show young people that you can have a life after
cancer. I don't believe in self-pity. I just keep forging ahead."
Korotkin found her subjects by networking, and she met Saltsman at a party in Michigan.

Continued on page 33

30 • OCTOBER I UU5 • JNPLATINUM

Above: Jean Karotkin, author of
"Body & Soul," and her mother,
Florence Levy, are both breast-
cancer survivors.
Far left: Monica Yaniv is an
Israeli scientist teaching Hebrew
grthe University of Texas.
Left: Elaine Saltsman, of West
Bloomfield, with the chair she
wove from her hair and wire.