In the complex and ever changing world of medicine, it can be difficult to stay up to date with what goes on–whether it be the latest clinical trials, medical research, or health guidelines. With the influx of medical breakthroughs and their rapid circulation on social media and news platforms, it is only normal to feel overwhelmed or discouraged when it comes to understanding what goes on in the medical world. But what if I told you that going about this challenge of becoming an informed and educated member of the medical community didn’t have to be so overwhelming? One solution that society has turned to to tackle this problem lies in something unexpected and seemingly simple–art. Whether it be visual, musical, or performative, art has taken the medical world by storm, helping spread awareness of medical conditions, promoting health literacy, and more!

In this article, I wanted to highlight two visual artists who have used their platform to spread awareness of inequalities in healthcare: Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Gregg Bordowitz. Gonzalez-Torres and Bordowitz double as both artists and activists who have used their creativity to reach out to audiences in hopes of creating positive change in healthcare. Their 2019 installation, The AIDS Crisis Is Still Beginning, addresses the irresponsible handling of the ongoing AIDS pandemic that began in the 1980s, as much of society refused to acknowledge the urgency of the crisis. Works like this have encouraged politicians and healthcare officials to examine the AIDS pandemic more closely, allowing them to put more effort into finding a solution through creating and improving upon healthcare access and policies. 

While this is only one example of art as a means of communicating ideas about healthcare and medicine, you’ll begin to realize there are more artists than you thought who use their artistic capabilities to inform and educate society as a whole about medicine and healthcare. So, if you ever feel overwhelmed about staying updated on the rapid and complex world of medicine, remember that there is a whole artistic aspect of medicine waiting to be explored! 

For more information on Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Gregg Bordowitz, check out this article: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/what-activism-and-art-felix-gonzalez-torres-and-gregg-bordowitz-teach-us-about-health-and-human/2020-09

4/10/25

By Allyson Mayor