Episode 11: Self Made Masks: Negotiating Identities in Medicine and Art

When we talk about the things that define us–the things that make us who we are–, what do we show the world, and what do we keep to ourselves? How is art a tool that we can use to bridge gaps in providing care in medical treatments? These seemingly separate questions come together in this episode, as Irenae Aigbedion (LAC) and Mark Stephens (Penn State College of Medicine) discuss identity dissonance, the value of art in medicine, and discovering the self through the art of mask making. As they discuss the transformative power of mask making in the context of identity formation and medical practice and treatment, the two think through the ways that art can engage with the triple crisis of racial violence, ecological disaster, and global pandemic.