Art Garfunkel, the iconic voice in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, has revealed for the first time his battle with psoriasis.
After taking a break from touring and being in the public eye, 83-year-old singer, actor, and poet talked about his health, the love from his family, and his recent work with his son, Art Garfunkel Jr.
With support from his sons and his wife, Kim opened up to PEOPLE, saying, “I am ready to be seen again. Psoriasis is something I lived with quietly for many years. It was part of my life even during my most public moments, including on tours, but I rarely, if ever, spoke about it.”
He explained, “I found ways to cover it on stage, in photos and in my day-to-day life. It’s not something people would have known by looking at me, but it was always there, under the surface. I am just glad it never made its way into the music. I’m happy about that change in my life.”
The Bright Eyes crooner went on to share that other than being difficult, his “treatment journey was long,” and he tried numerous approaches “over the course of decades,” including “different creams, remedies, even treatments involving UV light and tar.”
“I remember being completely covered in tar; what a mess. Some gave me temporary relief, but nothing really lasted — it was a frustrating cycle. The itching always came right back, and so did the scales. It was so uncomfortable,” Kim mentioned.
Despite going through hardships, the Carnal Knowledge star admitted that he was “lucky to have such a great dermatologist,” who eventually told him about ILUMYA, a medicine he “hadn’t tried” but after the first few doses, his “skin began to clear up, and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel the need to hide. Life started to change for me.”
Moving forward, the Grammy winner talked about having to cancel tour dates because of his health, quipping, “Performing is such a big part of who I am, so having to step back because of my psoriasis was difficult.”
“I could be in front of thousands of people but still have to cover up. It can affect your confidence, your comfort in your own skin, and it isolates you in ways people don’t always see,” he noted.
Before concluding, it is significant to mention that Kim’s recent work was a collaboration with his 34-year-old son, singer Art, for the album Father and Son, which was released in November 2024.
