MEDICINE IN THE MIND’S EYE
INTRODUCTION
As an aspiring medical professional and artist, I find a double consciousness between the arts and medicine – a constant exaggeration of the two as distinct entities. In my eyes, they work together: the science of pigment/material is key to the construction of artwork while art depicts medical principles and ideas. Beyond this, the socially constructed and societally reinforced dichotomy of art and science makes me wonder. How do these two facets of my life interact? How can I ensure that they continue to interact and reap the benefits of both?
This piece is a gallery exhibition showcasing artists who have expressed their experiences with mental health through the practice of creating. Constructed on artsteps.com, the gallery features pieces in mixed media, dance, and music to depict the symbiosis of medicine and art. Different perspectives on said interaction are represented in three ways; “In My Mind” with logical, scientifically discovered ideas on how these themes react, “In My Eyes” through artists and their work depicting their experiences with mental illness, and “In My Hands” through work by Rice students who regularly partake in craft of some sort.
The goal was to critique stigmas against art and mental health and showcase how people embrace the synergy between the two. I began creating this exhibit by reading scientific articles, blog posts, and other literature on the relationship between craft and mental health. Many scientific studies show that engagement with the arts is beneficial to mental well-being. Given this information, the next step was to engage with material through my eyes. I found various virtual galleries that depicted individual lenses by which I could view the manifestation of mental illness in others. Finally, I interviewed art practitioners of different forms, students at Rice University, to see how they interact with their craft as undergraduates and how they plan to incorporate it throughout the rest of their lives.
Together, each of these interactions created a comprehensive exploration of common themes between craft and medicine – more specifically mental health, effectively critiquing the fields’ separation. In a world with deep stigmatizations towards mental health and craft, their interactions and benefit to individuals is very important in making progress towards fuller, healthier mindsets. As I continue on my path to medical school, this critique recognizes the necessity to continue engaging with the arts. By setting aside time for craft (dance, visual arts, sewing, etc.), I effectively make time to take care of myself and my mental well-being.
GALLERY
Gallery Link: https://www.artsteps.com/view/5f66ff37ba5b1742191719
Due to PNG error, gallery spaces have been copied onto Canva at a higher resolution. Feel free to view gallery slides at this link.
Gallery Preview:
Gallery Student Features:
Shreyah Mohanselvan is a dancer from Columbus, OH that partakes in a wide range of dance styles. She is a current computer science major that dances competitively in Bollywood-Fusion styles.
Laura Semro is a draftsman and mixed-media artist from Houston, TX. She is a Visual and Dramatic Arts, Art History double major that hopes to pursue graduate school in the visual arts.
Grace Nichols is a computer science major that picked up a love for sewing and embroidery in the past year. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she finds craft a lifelong hobby she picked up over quarantine.
Alice Lee is a makeup artist from League City, TX that has engaged in the visual arts from a very young age. She now outlets her creativity through makeup as a Pre-Med Kinesiology major.
Lauren Ross is a violist and singer. Originally from New York, she has a deep passion for music and performance arts as she pursues a double major in Music and Religious Studies.
Meghana Nadella is a Pre-Med double major in Visual and Dramatic Arts and Health Sciences from Allen, TX. She seeks to combine her interests in art and medicine as a practicing physician.
REFERENCES
Barnett, Tony, Josephine De Deuge, and Heather Bridgman. “Promoting Mental Health through a Rural Art Roadshow: Perspectives of Participating Artists.” International Journal of Mental Health Systems. June 20, 2019. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6585087/.
Herman, Joseph. “Medicine: The Science and the Art.” Medical Humanities. June 01, 2001. https://mh.bmj.com/content/27/1/42.
Jennifer Gibson, PharmD. “The Art of Medicine.” Brain Blogger The Art of Medicine Comments. October 31, 2010. https://brainblogger.com/2010/10/31/the-art-of-medicine/.
Kim, DeokJu. “The Effects of a Combined Physical Activity, Recreation, and Art and Craft Program on ADL, Cognition, and Depression in the Elderly.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science. April 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5430285/.
Panda, S. C. “Medicine: Science or Art?” Mens Sana Monographs. January 2006. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3190445/.
Stuckey, Heather L., and Jeremy Nobel. “The Connection between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature.” American Journal of Public Health. February 2010. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804629/.
Wilson, Jacque. “This Is Your Brain on Crafting.” CNN. January 05, 2015. https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/25/health/brain-crafting-benefits/index.html.