As a first-year student in the School of Medicine at UMass Medical School, Hillary Mullan become interested in the role art and writing can play in healing. So when an opportunity arose for Mullan to volunteer with The Opioid Project: Changing Perceptions through Art and Storytelling, which was designed to bring awareness to and humanize the perception and treatment of those touched by substance abuse disorder, she became involved.
“I have found the stories told to me by patients and physicians to be very educational and memorable,” said Mullan, now a third-year student. “I thought that bringing the work to UMass Medical School would provide a powerful learning experience for members of our community.”
As part of the project, the art is paired with a recording of the artists talking about their art and their experiences, which visitors can listen to using a cellphone and headphones.
The interactive exhibit, “The Opioid Project,” is on display in the Lamar Soutter Library through May 7. For additional information on the exhibit, visit the project website.
Related story on UMassMedNow:
‘The Opioid Project: Changing Perceptions through Art and Storytelling’ new exhibit in library
