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East Carolina University

Placebos and Panaceas

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This body of work, Placebos and Panaceas was created as an educational tool to expose the public to the kind of treatments that claim to help or cure everything from obesity to cancer. Rather than just get upset at the ways these companies swindle those with illnesses, I turned that passion into comedy to get others to really want to interact with my work, rather than see it as just another dour piece of art screaming into the void. I’ve found that it’s easier for someone to enjoy learning about something angering or depressing if you reframe the problem as comedic and ridiculous. The goal of the work isn’t to insult those who use the products and practices, it’s to point out the ridiculousness of the products themselves, exaggerating the intended effects or unintended harmful effects from each treatment.

Degree

thesis:*
Department dc:contributor.department
Art
Grantor dc:publisher
East Carolina University
Year dc:date.issued
2025

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Fowler, Nick R
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Jim Tisnado
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Tim Lazure
  • Lisa Beth Robinson
  • Michael Tracy
  • Andrew Shaw

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
English

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/14314
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:thescholarship.ecu.edu:10342/14314

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
East Carolina University
Base URL
thescholarship.ecu.edu/server/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Fowler, Nick R. Placebos and Panaceas. East Carolina University, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/14314