Colitis from an Artist's Prospective

Abstract

It is widely understood that art expresses human experience to an audience. The viewer is provided with a unique form of insight when art is created by individuals depicting their own disease. Artists from Michelangelo to Frida Kahlo have used art as a creative outlet during times of pain and illness in their lives. In this essay, a drawing presented by the artist Rachel Harper to her physician after a serious acute attack of colitis is used to analyze the works meaning and the purpose of its creation. Expressions of illness by other artists are explored. This leads to a discussion of the use of art in the practice of medicine. The authors conclude that healthcare providers can benefit significantly from the understanding of the art of their patients.