Jerrold Abraham, American, born 1945
Soma Sanyal, Indian, born 1975
Microscopic Views of a Coal Miner’s Lung, 2018
These two pathology professors examined the lung tissue of coal miners to learn more about black lung disease. This microscopic image shows black macules of coal dust that have gathered in this person’s lungs after working in a mining environment for years. These two researchers created artistic images in order to further their message of concern for people working and living in these environments because of a recent increase in this disease. This unusual perspective bridges the divide between the human, environmental, and medical conditions of living in Appalachia. Through this perspective, one also has to question the role that outsiders play when trying to advocate for the health and well-being of Appalachian communities. Label by Katie Lee