NF2 Art Exhibit at Queens Museum

We are doing an Exibition about NF2 Artists and NF2 related artwork of those affected at the Queens Museum that will run from November 15th-December 31st and we need your help to fund it!

Children's Tumor Fund (CTF) is now onboard with helping make this exhibtion as amazing as we hope it to be!

Synopsis of the Exhibition:

Using a short video to be screened in the accompanying theater and an art exhibition in the Partnership Gallery granted by the Queens Museum, we seek to present an honest look at people with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2). In the short film we will represent and depict the emotional truth underlying the thought processes of someone (Kristina Diaz) with NF2, as she discusses her experience with the disorder throughout her life. She will tell her story in relation to Nathalie Trytell who passed away fighting the disorder in 2011 while striving to maintain her artistic voice despite diminishing physical ability to do so. An important aspect we want to show is the idea of progression over time as NF2 has long term effects that take their toll on people both physically and emotionally.

(Nathalie Trytell)



The opening shot of the short and the centerpieces of the exhibition are very large collages which will be composed of pictures of the subject, artwork in all forms (poems, paintings, drawings, child drawings, finger paintings, sculpture, journal writings etc.), as well as MRI/CT scans. We will show all pieces in a chronological manner from left to right. So starting on the left will be baby pictures, then toddler pictures and early art work, and so on, going right into adulthood with all pieces being in close proximity. We want to show progression in the subjects’ life through their pictures and art. As well as establish or discover trends which may have manifested because of NF2 whilst showing that the subject’s sole trait is not the disorder, but that they have a life beyond NF2. Through the expression of an individual these traits will be shown in their artwork, their words, their feelings expressed through a long period of time.
NF2 is a genetic nervous system disorder that causes tumors to grow around nerves and throughout the body, it affects about 1 in every 25,000 people and does not discriminate.
Symptoms can include:
-Vestribular Schwannomas (bilateral tumors in the tissue around the eighth cranial nerve that often result in hearing loss or deafness, and/or ringing in the ear (tinnitus) and facial weakness
-Meningiomas (tumors on the membrane that covers the spinal cord and brain) 
- Ependymomas (tumors that develop inside the spine)
- Other peripheral nerve tumors
-Vision problems
-Balance problems
-Weakness or numbness
-Debilitating pain
- Can lead to complications causing death.

(Kristina Diaz)


(Kristina Diaz)

Who we are: We are Kristina Diaz & Ryan Camarda.

Kristina Diaz: Diagnosed with NF2 (the first case in her family's history) at age 8, has kept to her love for art and earned her Master of Arts in Creaive Arts Therapy as a means to give back and help others. She has developed and implemented Art Therapy programs at the Queens Museum Art Access program for deaf school-aged children in her graduate research study. She continues to stay proactive working with both hearing and deaf communities with mental illness and developmental delays. Kristina has also been proactive in the NF community by fundraising while running in many endurance events (Half Marathons, 10ks, 5ks) and connecting with the NF community by forming friendships and support. She is an advocate for similar causes such as St Jude Children's Research Hospital and the American Cancer Society because she understands on a physical and emotional level what it means to struggle with chronic illness from a young age and maintaining quality of life.


(Kristina Diaz)

Ryan Camarda: Ryan cut his teeth working as a freelance, Director, DP, and Producer as well as by his stint as asst. Producer and Editor with 1TEntertainment. His short, The Craigslist Files: Episode 1 – Donnie and Charlotte, was selected as a Best of New York film in this year’s 48 Hour Film Project festival. His short, Departure, has also been selected for the Melbourne International Student Film Festival.


(Ryan Camarda)

Reason for fundraising:

It is expensive to film a short and to have the art exhibition. The Queens Museum is graciously providing space, but no financial or material help. We need money for supplies for the film and exhibition. We are working for free, but we will need custom framing for the centerpiece collages and many frames for the various pieces of artwork which will be displayed. We will need black paint, funds for people to mail us various pieces of art safely and to print and scan various pictures to be included in the film and exhibition.

Money that is left over from this campagin that we do not use will be donated to the Children's Tumor Foundation (CTF) dedicated to end NF through medical research and the Making Headway Foundation at the Hasssenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at NYU Langone Medical Center. The Making Headway Foundation is designed to improve the quality of life of patients and their families through servies such as the Creative Arts Therapies as well as funding various medical research projects. We are also open to suggestions for other NF2 related non-profits.


(Kristina Diaz)

We have set up an Info Document you look at here which has a list of all the artwork we intend to show as well as the script for you to look at.

It is too long to simply fit on this page so we are sorry for the invonviernce but to see what we intend to show and the short script is just one click away!

You can contact us for any questions or interest in participating by e-mailing us at:
unwaveringtruthexhibit (@) gmail.com

Thank you!
Ryan & Kristina

https://docs.google.com/document/d/131aQ7w37Ig2lamKoQGj0IRbLHGEbAj1q-PbSHGaG1YE/edit