In one of my classes in the MA Applied Imagination course, I realized the girl next to me drew triangles and different forms during breaks. I asked her about it and she explained that it is relaxing for her.
This made me think of Yayoi Kusama and other artists who draw and use art in order to heal and how this could be used as another tool in my hospital environment.
Artist Kasey Jones for instance used art to heal and feel more relaxed after her stroke. She describes it as wellness and gaining control back.
Ya-Wen Yang, another artist who suffered from depression, used it to confess and accept her feelings by recording them, which led to healing in her case.
Artists Who Experience Their Own Healing Process Through Art
Nevertheless, Yayoi Kusama might be one of the most famous examples, who used her art through her healing process. Painting dots was the escape space for her while suffering from hallucinations.
https://zolimacitymag.com/yayoi-kusama-art-of-healing-m/
A fascinating example of Kusama’s work is the ‘Obliteration Room’, a room made for children that was completely white in the beginning and asked visitors to engage with the room by placing colorful stickers on the wall or elements in the room. This challenged the nature of children who usually are not allowed to touch art in spaces, but here were involved in making the art and leaving their own mark.
Its idea was to move away from more traditional art by making people touch the artwork.
https://chartwell.org.nz/news/presenting/
Ultimately, this inspired me to get the idea of using engaging art in my future creation in the hospital escape rooms. Motivating patients to draw specific forms, like Yayoi or my classmate, or using stickers on walls or chairs and all be part of a work of art (in this case all the hospital patients) which even potentially could be shown in an exhibition later on, could be one more healing form which could be integrated into the escape room. Hospital patients would realize they are not alone and would see they are part of a community.
Polka Dots by Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama’s Obliteration Room