Brooklyn, NY (May 12, 2018) CronArtUSA and Go Doc Go announce the official launch of  “The Box,”  a functional public art installation at the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn from 12-5pm on May 12th. This one day event provides a safe place where participants ages 30 to 65 can privately self-collect a sample to be screened for the HPV virus, the leading cause of cervical cancer.

A revolutionary intersection of art and medicine, “The Box” is a socially-conscious, collaborative, public art installation created by Artist Ryan Cronin of CronArtUSA, alongside Go Doc Go Founder Maggie Carpenter, MD.  “The Box” enables participants to circumvent the traditional Pap smear used to screen for cervical cancer. Part self-collection space, part art space, “The Box” is a privacy booth installed in a public location that gives women a safe place to independently swab a sample to be tested for the HPV virus, the leading cause of cervical cancer. “The Box” bypasses traditional medical routes: No exam is necessary.

Early detection is instrumental in preventing the development of cervical cancer. "The Box" had beta installations at the O+ Festival in Kingston, NY and the Old Stone House in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Though too early in the sampling process to provide conclusive data, at both installations CronArtUSA and Go Doc Go found that 1 in 8 women who self-swabbed in “The Box” tested positive for HPV.  It was this early detection that allowed for referral and further evaluation

As a forward-thinking intersection between art and medicine, “The Box” is a true collaboration.  “It intricately marries our two professions, while challenging cultural norms of institutionalized control over medicine. This makes care accessible to all audiences, with a particular focus on reaching individuals who otherwise might not have access,” emphasizes Carpenter. “The potential to impact lives is so far reaching.”