Dr. Keith Ablow, a leading psychiatrist and New York Times best-selling author, has recently entered the world of fine art creating handwritten prescriptions printed on archival paper affixed to aluminum. He often uses irony to underscore larger issues of excess in modern culture.

Collectors of Ablow's work include billionaire stock trader and modern art aficionado Steve Cohen, Guggenheim Capital founder Todd Morley, public relations icon Ronn Torossian and billionaire art collector Doug Meijer. Affected by the 2016 New York state law requiring all prescriptions to be filled electronically, Ablow began repurposing the original prescription pads, blowing them up to 3 foot by 2 foot panels, intended to “make people think or move them to action.” 

His blown-up works highlight America’s obsession with prescriptions as well as the tendency of psychiatrists to over-prescribe and under-talk in the digital age. Psycho-delic, an exhibit of Ablow’s latest works, ran earlier this month at Vivian Horan Fine Art in Manhattan.

“Project Prescription is my way of harnessing my psychiatric skills, the power of prescription writing and the power of art and media to make people think, make them debate and bring them closer to their heartfelt beliefs, whether those beliefs be in perfect accord with the prescriptions I have written, or in direct opposition to them,” Ablow said. "The prescriptions are written large because they are based on large ideas and ideals. They are ones I am willing to shout. I cannot easily step away from them once they exist, nor, I hope, can those who will come into contact with them.”