The John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science is now hosting Living Icons: A Commemoration of the Victims of Houston’s COVID-19 Pandemic. A photo exhibit that features hundreds of Houston-area COVID-19 victims, the art installation memorializes those who have died as a result of the pandemic and gives us a glimpse of the human impact of this health crisis. Living Icons was created by artist Joni Zavitsanos and will be on view at The Health Museum, located at 1515 Hermann Dr., Houston, Texas 77004 from Saturday, October 16, 2021, to Sunday, January 30, 2022.

Living Icons connects us with the real people behind the pandemic numbers reported every day. We learn more about who they are and who we have lost as a community through the exhibit. It gives all of us an opportunity to join in honoring the victims and their families.

“We are proud to host Living Icons at The Health Museum to provide an opportunity for the community to memorialize those we have lost during this pandemic,” said John Arcidiacono, President and CEO of The Health Museum. “As the health crisis continues, it’s essential for us to remember the human impact of this disease. At The Health Museum, we continue in our commitment to provide the tools and resources to empower healthier living.”

“The idea for Living Icons came to me in the early days of the pandemic. As I sat in my studio, I was struck by the growing number of anonymous souls spending their last days alone and isolated from family and friends as their lives slipped away. In the aftermath, families overwhelmed with grief were left to deal with arrangements for what was most likely a sparse funeral, and which offered no true closure for their deep sense of loss. I wanted to honor those who succumbed to COVID-19, uniquely and individually, to help their families heal,” said Zavitsanos.

Living Icons is being displayed alongside the popular exhibit, Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World. The exhibition uncovers answers to these common questions regarding the risks and potential rapid spread of pandemic outbreaks: Why do pathogens emerge where they do? How do they spill over from animals to people? What can individuals and communities do to prevent the next outbreak? Visitors can take an up-close and intricate look at pandemic risks in the 21st century and zoonotic emerging infectious diseases. Outbreak will be on display until January 30, 2022.

The Health Museum is located at 1515 Hermann Dr, Houston, Texas 77004. For more information, please visit thehealthmuseum.org.