WHAT

Watching Hands: Artists Respond to Keeping Well showcases the new work of six artists who interpret the act of handwashing in innovative and unexpected ways. The exhibit features Georgia artists Didi Dunphy and Joe Peragine, as well as others from around the country.

When

The exhibit opens on September 24, 2011, Smithsonian Museum Day and the only Saturday the museum is open, and remains on display to January 12, 2012. Displays open for public viewing 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.

Where

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tom Harkin Global Communications Center
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329

Background:

Watching Hands artists stretch the boundaries of current public health campaigns through painting, drawing, graphic design, sculpture, installation and new media. The art makes the connection between handwashing and keeping well and ranges from the humorous to the spiritual. Other artists include John Bankston of San Francisco, Katherine L. Ross of Chicago, and Laura Splan and James Victore of Brooklyn, NY.

Watching Hands is organized by the David J. Sencer CDC Museum and is made possible by a grant from Georgia-Pacific Professional to the CDC Foundation.

More information about the exhibit can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/museum/watchinghands.htm. More information about Museum Day can be found at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday.

Special note: Admission and parking are free. To gain entrance, visitors need a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport. Vehicle inspection is also required. The Watching Hands exhibit will be featured until January 12, 2012. The Global Health Odyssey Museum is open Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. with hours extended to 7 p.m. on Thursday. The museum is closed on all federal holidays. For more information, visit the museum website http://www.cdc.gov/museum/ or call 404-639-0830.

For media interviews regarding the exhibit or handwashing, please contact the main CDC press office at (404) 639-3286.