Jiatong Lu: Nowhere Land
In a new presentation of her ongoing project Nowhere Land, artist Jiatong Lu brings together photography, archival documents, personal testimony, and scientific research to examine the human toll of Lyme disease and the medical systems responsible for diagnosing and treating it. While centered on Lyme disease, the exhibition engages broader themes of diagnosis, chronic illness, and quality of care, speaking to larger systemic issues within the healthcare system.
The project began following Lu’s experience with Lyme disease in 2021, which left her severely ill for an extended period. Through conversations with others experiencing persistent symptoms, she began documenting the physical, psychological, social, and financial consequences of illness, particularly for patients struggling to obtain recognition and care.
What began as a documentary project has evolved into a broader investigation of the history, ecology, and contested medical understanding of Lyme disease. Lu conducted research in Lyme, Connecticut, where the disease was first identified in the United States in the 1970s, examining historical records and the advocacy of patients such as Polly Murray, whose efforts helped bring an unexplained cluster of illnesses to medical attention.