Imag(in)ed Malady began in December 1993 when Ellsworth was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer that affects the lymph system and usually requires aggressive medical treatments. Through this project Ellsworth and Takemoto attempt to document, to cope with, and to work through the experience of illness within the dynamic of a long-distance friendship and artistic relationship. Although Ellsworth is finished with radiation and chemotherapy this project continues to explore the shifting emotional and psychological responses to illness and remission.