Where Does It Hurt? is a national, public art program creating thoughtful spaces for medical professionals and their communities to come together and reimagine US healthcare. It operates at the intersection of Narrative Medicine, community art, and public discourse. At its core, it seeks to uplift the faces and stories from healthcare workers and their patients, focusing on the following issues: time constraints, provider agency, trust erosion, access, and professional burnout.

Outside major medical centers across the country, artist Mary Lacy attempts to mimic the schedule of a clinician. But instead of ‘seeing patients’ she draws portraits. One after another, all day everyday, fifteen minutes each: nurses, doctors, social workers, hospital staff, researchers, patients, family, and curious passersby. Where Does It Hurt? launched in Los Angeles March 2025 and is headed to Boston for a month-long performance May 2025.

Where Does It Hurt? is co-created by Mary Lacy and Hugo Hernandez. In addition, they have surrounded themselves with a world class team of advisors: doctors, bioethicists, and a neuroscientist who studies trust. Check out the presentation below to learn more.