Your Image & Your critical reading (analysis) of it by Professor Diana Paulin

AIDS Quilt Patch

emmettmcgranaghan — 2020-10-26 23:50:48 UTC

AIDS Quilt Panel

professordianapaulin — 2021-10-25 00:19:16 UTC

This image is a panel from the AIDS quilt, more specifically I would like to focus on the center black patch: "The Greater Boston Minority Health Coalition". I found this image to be especially compelling because it emphasizes the struggle of queer communities of struggle during the AIDS crisis. The organization depicted was formed out of a need for community survival since mainstream society, and even the white LGBTQ+ community, had no serious intention of helping queer communities of color. What I also found to be provocative in this image was the stress on dying "in silence". This idea of "silence" in battle with illness is a very important one to understand the AIDS crisis, experience with AIDS, and how people living at the intersection of multiple marginalization interact with the healthcare system.

Ignorance = Fear by Keith Haring

daniellenois — 2021-10-27 00:32:04 UTC

This poster from 1989 was designed by Keith Haring, a famous American pop artist from New York City, which is the initial reason why it compelled me. The figures in this piece reference the three wise monkeys, which applies to those who turn a blind eye as a response to impropriety. Rather than educating themselves on the AIDS pandemic and the LGBTQ+ community’s struggle, many shunned them out of fear of contracting HIV themselves. However, with this silence comes the deaths of those with AIDS, as they cannot receive proper hospitalization and treatment. This has implications for bi+ health, as they were formerly viewed as a public health risk — especially since bi+ people with HIV could possibly transmit it to straight people. As a result, the bi+ community has (and continues to have) a stigma of being promiscuous and dirty that affects their mental health to this day.

Keith Haring, American, 1958 - 1990. Ignorance=Fear, New York. 1989. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/31572008

The effects of Climate Change

paulinarivera3 — 2021-10-27 21:29:04 UTC

This picture was captivated in 2015, which isn't too long ago from our current year 2021 (the difference being 6 years). The image alone was posted onto Seth Borenstein's web article which goes into explicit detail about the effects of climate change on the human population. This image alone means a lot to me and it stands out to me because of the body language present... Mourners are attending a funeral for those who have died because of the extreme weather in Pakistan, that being a horrendous heat wave. The Mourners all appear to be in prayer while those who have sadly died are wrapped up on top of gurney's. It was also stated in the article that there were over 800 confirmed deaths, which is very concerning. Due to this article and the image presented above, I have came to the conclusion that there should be more awareness about Climate Change issues. As we continue to progress, humans as a whole should come together to work out a solution to prevent more deaths and not only human deaths, but animals and other living organisms as well or else we'll continue to experience health problems due to the Forest fires, Heat waves, melting Ice Caps, and so much more.

Borenstein, S., 2021. Study blames climate change for 37% of global heat deaths. [online] AP NEWS. Available at: [Accessed 27 October 2021].

Access to health care

SamiyaMehammed — 2021-10-27 22:39:05 UTC

This photo is taken from an article called Today’s Parent, which mainly talks about how the limited access to health care has led to a high maternal mortality rate in certain parts of Ethiopia. The photo shows a pregnant woman being examined by a midwife at home because she lives a three hour walk from the closest clinic. The photo represents the many pregnant women out there who are unable to have adequate prenatal care and a safe delivery due to lack of access to healthcare. Hearing the growing number of maternal mortality while growing up evoked my interest in women’s health. Therefore, I would like to explore in depth the impact of access to health care in women’s health in terms of socio-economic,educational and political perspective.

Claire Gagne July 16, 2020. “The Surprising Reason Many Babies Die around the World-and What's Being Done about It.” Today's Parent, 20 July 2020, https://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/preterm-birth-ethiopia/.

hattiewags — 2021-10-27 22:48:03 UTC

I found this mural from the 1970s that was done by Theresa Tolliver on the ARTstor database. It speaks to the internal battle of someone who is using drugs – while they may recognize that their actions are detrimental to themselves and others in their community, often their desire to get high overcomes it all. What specifically compelled me to this piece was the phrase about drug dealers “selling death.” The fear of dying is an extremely powerful motivator and therefore this piece is a call to action for the viewer. Also, the artist’s word choice to describe drug users as “damn fools” and “junkies” has negative connotations that may stir up powerful emotions of guilt and sorrow. While this message delivers tough love, the intentions are to help people recognize the consequences of their addiction. This mural brings up the idea that there are various ways to approach addiction treatment. While the direct approach the mural employs may work for some, a gentler approach may be more correct for others.

Tolliver, Theresa. Kazi Drug Abuse Center, detail. early 1970s. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/DRESCHER_10310119269

jennicacam — 2021-10-27 23:12:39 UTC

I found this image by doing a broad google image search for “black women and healthcare.” I clicked on the image and it took me to an article entitled “This Is How the American Healthcare System Is Failing Black Women” on OprahDaily.com. The article also included a series of other art pieces by Brian Stauffer depicting black women’s experiences while under the care of doctors. This image in particular stuck out to me because it is a provocative portrait of a black woman with a bandaid over her mouth. The bandaid appears to be silencing her so that she cannot speak up and advocate for herself. However, even though she is unable to speak, we can tell by her raised eyebrow that she is displeased with the care that she is receiving. Furthermore, the bandaid does not match her skin tone, which is suggesting that there is not equal care for her. This image illustrates that racial bias in medical care, especially towards black women, puts their lives at risk every day as they are often unseen, unheard, and misdiagnosed.

Stallings, Erika. “This Is How the American Healthcare System Is Failing Black Women.” Oprah Daily, 1 Aug. 2018, https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a23100351/racial-bias-in-healthcare-black-women/.

Chronic Pain in Health Care

theresastrouse — 2021-10-27 23:24:52 UTC

I found this mural in an article from Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News (GEN), which talks about their journey to discovering a new drug that will hopefully help manage chronic pain from nerve damage and metastatic cancer without the side effects that most drugs for these purposes carry. Although the article goes into the science behind this new drug it also talks about the lack of proper care and resources concentrated on helping patients with chronic pain and the lack of non-addictive and sedative treatments. The photo shows a man clearly in pain and agony, with what appears to be wholes all over his body. This photo really stood out to me because it shows how pain and drugs can slowly take away pieces of you and there's really no winning. If you choose to not take medicine you may live in constant lifelong pain that can slowly chip away at the person and life you once had but on the other hand, drugs risk addiction or becoming sedative, a shell of who you once were. Although this article did not give an in-depth analysis of this painting I think that's what makes it even more powerful as everyone has a different experience with chronic pain and this allows them to interpret it however they best connect.

Ktori, Sophia. “Cancer Drug ‘Junkyard’ Screen Identifies Compound That Resets Genetic Switch to Reduce Chronic Pain.” GEN, 26 Oct. 2021, https://www.genengnews.com/news/cancer-drug-junkyard-screen-identifies-compound-that-resets-genetic-switch-to-reduce-chronic-pain/.

Holistic Medicine by Rob Colvin

adunster1 — 2021-10-27 23:58:19 UTC

After searching on many different websites, I found this striking image on Illustration Source. This image is a painting by Rob Colvin, a graduate of the New York Academy of Art and the editor/publisher of Arts Magazine. The painting depicts different figures of a person who is surrounded by aspects of both allopathic and alternative medicine. With symbols of drugs, needles, corporate influence, reiki, and herbal medications, Colvin stresses that medicine should be equally allopathic and alternative. These symbols tie together to affect the focus on each of the figure’s features. In the larger figure, the abdomen, the brain, and the lungs are emphasized while in the smaller figure, the heart is emphasized. As allopathic/strictly scientific medicine can be superficial to our physical bodies, alternative medicine touches the heart and heals the body as a whole, not just our organs and tissues. Depicting the figure with their heart emphasized gives light to the resistance put upon alternative medicine and how allopathic medicine, in today’s healthcare system, is more widely used and is the main treatment practice. What was specifically compelling to me was the dull colors, the equally “hidden” symbolism of both methods of medicine, and how one is influenced to one treatment option over the other. Colvin’s piece speaks to the different levels of medicine within today’s treatment plans and illustrates the push and pull of scientific vs. holistic medicine. To build off of Colvin’s piece, I am interested in exploring how the less commonly used practice of holistic/alternative medicine can be intertwined with allopathic medicine.

Calvin, Rob. “Image: 48266, Holistic Medicine.” Illustration Source, www.illustrationsource.com/stock/image/48266/holistic-medicine/?&results_per_page=1&detail=TRUE&page=4.

rhillenbrand13 — 2021-10-28 01:08:33 UTC

After searching on google, and other resources, I found this image on Pinterest. Finding an image that truly captures the vulnerability of being homeless was hard to come by. I found that many of the images attempted to glamorize the horrors of being homeless and illustrated real people who seemed staged and impersonal. What drew me to this image was the man's body language and wings behind him. Homeless people are often villanized, and the angel wings behind him show his true heart and the beauty behind him. This art depicts global health humanities and the stigma that surrounds people in lower socioeconomic areas.

Scott, V. (n.d.). The Crazy Coat Lady. Pinterest . Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7318418114524645/.

rileymorgan4 — 2021-10-28 02:14:55 UTC

I have found interest in studying socioeconomic gap for a long time. Going more in depth, I want to focus on the effects of mental health in communities that have varying income levels. As I was searching through different images this one captured my attention. It clearly shows the exact problem that I want to study in learn about. On the left hand side you see a thriving and beautifully lit town raised above with new and blooming flowers. On the right hand side you see a beat down and gloomy town with a lot worse conditions than that of on the right side. Not only does this display the socio-economic gap, but it displays what I hypothesize would be the difference in the quality of the mental and physical health of the individuals who live in these communities. I thought it was a great way to introduce the issue, drawing them in and making them want to learn more.

Https://Miro.medium.com/Max/1052/0*jjr7o6p8nyv5_-0v., Google, https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmiro.medium.com%2Fmax%2F1052%2F0%2AjjR7o6p8nYV5_-0V.&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedium.com%2F%40juno1811%2Fwhy-it-is-important-to-reverse-the-ever-widening-socioeconomic-gap-953dbca6b766&tbnid=mNNtYx7C5-kNmM&vet=12ahUKEwjC_evLguzzAhUYmXIEHV-NAI8QMygFegUIARC5AQ..i&docid=7CN0FZCMx1PO6M&w=1052&h=691&itg=1&q=socio+economic+divide&ved=2ahUKEwjC_evLguzzAhUYmXIEHV-NAI8QMygFegUIARC5AQ.

Eugenics

gracesullivan8 — 2021-10-28 03:43:43 UTC

I found this image in my image search about eugenics and sterilization. It depicts a eugenic exhibit in Topeka, Kansas where another famous "fit family" picture was possibly taken. It is titled "Eugenics & Health Exhibit, Kansas Free Fair" and the description indicates that this was the cite of better-baby contests. At a glance, the image seems like a normal booth at a fair, but a closer examination reveals much more. The front of the booth includes posters filled with information. It is an exhibit after all: they are educating about the science of eugenics and "fit" members of society. The visitors are all white, and many of them are families with children. I find it compelling how a very normal setting, like that of a local fair, is now the image of a historical atrocity.

Eugenics & Health Exhibit, Kansas Free Fair. 1929. Artstor, library.artstor.org/asset/ARTSTOR_103_41822003612379

lucasteinert2 — 2021-10-28 14:33:52 UTC

This is the image I chose to depict my theme of the global view on mental health. Clearly, here in the United States, mental health and mental illness awareness and treatment has made tremendous advancements, but a lot of the rest of the world has yet to follow suit. This image was taken from a Chinese website that was reporting how the Chinese health care services seem to be falling short. I felt as though this image would be a good portrayal of how the mental health and illness experience in countries less advanced in understanding and treatment might feel. In the image you see a young woman who has a blue tint to her, perhaps indicating sadness, and she is holding a mask that seems to be smiling and radiating with happiness in front of her. I felt very empowered by the concept behind this as many many people who struggle with mental health and illness will have to put on a front to the rest of the world, whether that be to the government, their friends, or even their parents. What I think is particularly interesting is the background of pills. A lot of the time, those who are challenged by mental health and illness are immediately dismissed from society, and labeled different derogatory terms. They are put into facilities and sedated with pills with no real chance of improving themselves. The stigma around mental health and illness and the promotion of advocacy and better treatment in countries lacking it needs to be addressed.

Hua, Xin. “Chinese Mental Health Services Falling Short: Report.” China Plus, http://chinaplus.cri.cn/news/china/9/20190225/253543.html.

Instagram Post

daniellenois — 2021-11-04 03:49:06 UTC

This post was initially compelling for me because compliments that focus on personality rather than appearance are my favorite kind of compliments. I found my mood to be boosted more with these kinds of compliments rather than just "your outfit looks good" (although that compliment is still nice). This post focuses on this by spreading radical self-love to other people.