Hysteria is an installation created in dialogue with the collections at the International Museum of Surgical Science, exploring the intersection of gender, race, and power in medical history. Drawing on personal experience, Aparicio uses liminal objects—like gynecological tables, forceps, and specula—to examine how womanhood has been shaped by pain, transition, and institutional control.

Through the juxtaposition of historical instruments and organic materials such as thorn stems and ligature, the work reflects on the professionalization of gynecology and the erasure of women’s agency in medical spaces. Hysteria invites viewers to confront the boundaries imposed by medicine—both physical and symbolic—and consider their lasting impact on bodily autonomy and care.