Shana Moulton, an artist and chair of the art department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, discusses her exhibition "Meta/Physical Therapy" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and her retrospective at the Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art. The article centers on Moulton's semi-autobiographical alter ego, Cynthia, a hypochondriac navigating New Age wellness culture through video installations, performances, and a collection of eccentric objects. Moulton explores themes of hypochondria, hospital art, and the absurdity of wellness consumerism, drawing from her upbringing in a California mobile home park and her long-running video series "Whispering Pines" (2002–18).
This interview matters because it highlights how a contemporary artist uses humor, kitsch, and digital media to critique the multi-billion-dollar wellness industry and the commodification of self-care. Moulton's work, which bridges analog and digital worlds, offers a poignant commentary on middle-aged anxiety and the search for relief through consumer products, resonating with broader cultural conversations about health, technology, and spirituality. Her position as a department chair at a major university also underscores the growing institutional recognition of multimedia and performance art.