SELF EXAMINATIONS | Abigail Parsons
"The patient is the driving force within the work, shown in muted tones that echo the hospital environment and medical settings. In 'Self Examinations,' patients grab and pull at medical machines in an absurd and futile effort to diagnose their ailments. The self-examination is half-hearted as the patient recognizes the limitations of their efforts and knows that the machines are designed for someone else to operate."
Abigail Parsons is a visual artist, recently completing a post-baccalaureate degree at Brandeis University. Her work explores the tension between the intimate, personal experience of seeking medical care and the standardized systems that often provide this care. Above all, Parsons’ work is grounded in her experience as a patient and a deep understanding that health - and the systems that care for it - are fundamental to our ability to most fully live our lives.