Printed by Parkinson's: a neurological art project linking patient stories and biosignals

"Printed by Parkinson's" is an innovative project with the main aim to raise awareness for the many aspects of Parkinson's disease and their implication for everyday life. In a cooperation of Innocean Worldwide GmbH and the Movement Disorder and Neuromodulation Section, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, design and medical and neuroscientific expertise were combined to create unique artworks: Bronze sculptures were created when combining personal objects selected by each patient, and their neurophysiological individual health data. As a core element, patient interviews in an accompanying film shed light on the personal stories behind the art objects. Public presentations raised interest in the topic and very positive reactions by patients and relatives, and we think that the possibility to use art for improved communication in the field of medicine holds promise for the future.