Medical students, trainees, faculty and staff gathered October 28 for the third annual Feinberg Art Fair, an evening celebrating the creative talents and interests of the Feinberg community.
Held in the atrium of the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center, the event was organized by second-year medical students Lamara Allen and Sai Voora, and Ruth Nelson, a second-year medical student in the Medical Scientist Training Program. The event was supported by Feinberg’s medical education programs, including the MD, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, and Prosthetics and Orthotics programs, as well as the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education and the Department of Medical Education.
“The art fair was a fun way to showcase the talents of our community,” Allen said. “We all share a passion for medicine and healthcare, and we spend a lot of our time on that, so it was great to see people’s talents and interests outside of it. I find artistic outlets to be both personally relaxing and a great way to connect with new people over shared interests.”
Feinberg students, faculty and staff contributed artwork spanning a range of media, including paintings, drawings, fabric crafts, pottery, dioramas and photography. This year’s fair also featured a violin duet performed by second-year medical students Mark Appleman and Shea Hinojosa, as well as artwork by Genevieve Ramos, a Chicago-based artist and disability advocate.
Nelson first attended the Art Fair last year and was inspired by the connections it fostered across the community.
“I was struck by the artwork itself, but was even more inspired by how students and faculty connected with and learned about one another through exploring each other’s work,” she said. “I found that sense of connection so exciting that I knew I wanted to help cultivate the event and that same energy the following year.”
That sense of connection continued throughout this year’s event. Organizers said students shared that the fair had inspired them to create more art and organize future social events centered on artistic expression.
“To me, the Feinberg Art Fair is a unique opportunity for students across programs — including MD, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, and Prosthetics and Orthotics — to come together and celebrate our community’s creativity,” Nelson said. “It was wonderful to see the joy that came from students engaging with one another’s art.”
