Pepón Osorio
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Presented by Thomas Jefferson University, Convalescence is a large-scale multimedia installation built on Jefferson’s medical campus by visual artist Pepón Osorio during Fall 2024. Convalescence is rooted in the artist’s personal experience of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Developed through public programs taking place across Philadelphia, the project highlights systemic health and health care inequities in the U.S. and includes stories from other Philadelphians of color who have lived through, or are currently experiencing, life-threatening illnesses.
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Drawing on relationships with groups typically underserved by the health care system, Osorio’s installation explores the nature of community-based care. The project extends Jefferson's ongoing medical humanities program, which engages students in the arts and humanities in parallel with their health professions education. A series of public programs created with community-based partners committed to health equity will be coordinated in conjunction with the installation.
Major support for Convalescence has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from the Wagner Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Convalescence is presented by Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia Contemporary.
Pepón Osorio is known for his provocative, large-scale, multimedia installations that merge conceptual art and community dynamics. Osorio has worked with over 25 communities across the United States and internationally, creating installations based on their real-life experiences. His work has been presented at the Whitney Museum of American Art; El Museo del Barrio; Smithsonian American Art Museum; El Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico; and El Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, among others. He is the recipient of various distinctions including a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, the Skowhegan Medal for Sculpture, The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts, and a Pew Center for Arts & Heritage Fellowship.
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
Pepón Osorio: Convalescence (Installation View), Philadelphia Contemporary, PA. Photo by Constance Marsh
An installation by the Puerto Rican, who is based in Philadelphia, exposes the experiences of five patients within the healthcare system. The project addresses the importance of alternative ways to cope with illness
Pepón Osorio is known for his provocative, large scale multimedia installations that merge conceptual art and community dynamics.