UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

The Hope Tapestry

Hope tapestry by Mary Zicafoose.

Mary Zicafoose

2017

Weft-faced ikat tapestry, diptych

Healing Arts Committee purchase

Located in the lobby on the ground level, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center.

Mary Zicafoose creates contemporary tapestry that investigates the intricacies of how we, as individuals, are tied to one another.  The Healing Tapestry and The Hope Tapestry feature the words healing and hope in sixteen languages.  The languages include: English, Greek, Vietnamese, Russian, Japanese, Nepali, Slovak, Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Lao, Braille, Spanish, Hebrew, Khmer, French, and Hindi. The tapestries soften the contemporary architecture of the building, creating a colorful and warm contrast to the stone.  By tying the words hope and healing in multiple languages together through the binding of fibers, these tapestries connect individuals of all backgrounds in their aspirations and fears relating to their cancer treatment, letting patients know they are not alone in their diagnosis.