Alison Pebworth Americanitis Booklet & Sticker

For more than a decade, Alison Pebworth has been inspired by a 19th-century neurological disorder called Americanitis. With symptoms both vague and vast—abnormal fatigue to premature baldness—a diagnosis of Americanitis pathologized the anxiety and ennui that plagued many Americans in the wake of industrialization and urbanization. These feelings persist today—albeit with new manifestations— alongside emerging contemporary concerns including burnout,1 climate anxiety or eco-anxiety,2 and loneliness.3 Pebworth’s Cultural Apothecary at  MASS MoCA asks us to consider  the root causes that contribute to our feelings of unease today, and to work together towards tools for healing.  

5" x 4" Americanitis Elixer Sticker & 4.5" x 7" Americanitis Explained Booklet in plastic-free glassine sleeve.