An often overlooked part of art is healing. Hospitals have known it for a long time, and therefore you can notice a lot of paintings in hallways and rooms. This month we bring to you an excellent book on the subject. Healing Art is as much about art as it is about healing and the intersection of creative synapses that influence, and sometimes promote healing. Read on…
• Explores the concept that art promotes healing through a survey of work created for the Robert Bosch Hospital in Germany
• Includes 48 commissioned artworks by significant contemporary artists, including some that were created with input from patients
• Offers specialist contributions from architecture and art history, healthcare design, art and corporate philosophy
Art can contribute to a healing environment, supporting the work of hospitals and enriching the lives of both patients and staff members. In this book, Isabel Gruener, the art officer at the Robert Bosch Hospital in Stuttgart, explores how the hospital’s commissioned art program supports the complex process of healing. Whether it is seriously ill patients in the intensive care unit, visitors in the public corridors, or employees in sterile functional areas: each is affected in their own way by the total of 48 artistic interventions. The narrative describing these art projects, which were created between 1998-2018, is supplemented by specialist contributions from the fields of art, design, and corporate philosophy. They explore an interdisciplinary approach and offer a view towards the future potential of healing art in healing environments.
From the book description
This is an excellent read for those of us who like to step beyond the obvious and stare into hitherto underappreciated intersections of art, society, and well-being. This book is not widely available, so you may like to call your local book store in advance.
Wishing all our readers Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year 2020! See you next month.