An arts-based approach for communicating paleopathological research to public audiences: the Phoenix Bioscience Core's Artist + Researcher (ARx) program.

OBJECTIVE

Communicating research to the public is an important part of the scientific process, but to do so effectively, we must engage nonscientist audiences so they are interested in hearing about our discipline and how our insights have relevance in today's world. One way to capture public imagination is through the visual arts. This paper describes an arts-based approach that communicated paleopathological research to public audiences.

MATERIALS: One paleopathologist/bioarchaeologist whose research area is Peru and one professional artist who fabricates cloisonné objects.

METHODS

The artist and researcher pair collaborated over a nine-month period. The finished pieces were displayed to various audiences through multiple gallery events. The pair was present at each event to discuss the research and art and answer questions.

RESULTS

Paleopathogical research was translated into a suite of cloisonné jewelry that pays homage to Moche art, illustrates the process of excavation and skeletal analysis, and communicates findings such as traumatic injuries, trepanation, and developmental conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The art engaged viewers and furnished a starting point for dialog, giving them an interactive opportunity to learn about paleopathology.

SIGNIFICANCE: This arts-based form of science communication made paleopathology accessible to audiences who generally do not attend our conferences or read our peer-reviewed publications.

LIMITATIONS: This project was a single arts-based form of science communication that was qualitatively assessed as successful.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS: As we begin the next 50 years, paleopathologists should engage creatively with public audiences to communicate research findings, and objectively assess outreach activities to evaluate their effectiveness.