As Bristol’s weather turns chillier, we see colds creep across campus. While RWU’s Health Services will provide the medical care you need, it is also important to look after your mental well-being. If you are looking for a way to unwind, away from illness and midterms, why not indulge in some art?
Take a walk, bike, or a bus down and be treated to the Bristol Art Museum, a charming little gallery nestled at 10 Wardwell St. in downtown Bristol.
You will not need your wallet either as the museum is completely free for students. The gallery recently premiered its newest collection, “Prescribing Creativity,” an exciting exhibit that merges our ideas of medicine and art.
People often think of medical practitioners as strictly science-minded, but behind their masks lies an ocean of artistic creativity. This exhibit showcases that blend through a wide range of artistic expressions. From paintings and photography to collages, sculptures, and even furniture.
Mary Dondero, the exhibit’s curator, encapsulates the collection’s spirit, stating, “Just as they bring healing to the body, these medical professionals bring life to their artworks. Through this collection of diverse, we witness how the same hands that heal can create beauty, how minds trained in science also flourish in imagination, and how art provides a restorative outlet for those in a demanding field.”
All the artists in the exhibit create art for different reasons. For some, art functions as therapeutic meditation, while others rediscovered it as a skill lost after years of medical school. For some, their passion for art has lived longer than their careers in healthcare
Francois Luks, a pediatric surgeon’s gut-busting comic strips mock the serious nature of surgery. For Luks, art is a way to let off steam, a much-needed reprieve in the high-pressure medical industry. Similarly, Ashley Houlihan, a medical student, creates acrylic paintings of scenic vistas they find peace in, a stark contrast to the intensity of medical schooling.
One artist whose medical skills are mirrored in their art is Yvonne Weiss, who jokingly states in their placard that she was born with a knitting needle in her hand. Her beautifully intricate hand-knitted quilt jackets display the great precision she’s adopted through her years of school. Likewise, Phil Gruppuso’s woodworking showcases a dazzling mastery of textures and color, with cabinets that reflect the meticulous attention required in medicine.
While some artists create for the craft, other pieces take on more political themes. A common motif throughout the exhibit is the impact of COVID-19, an unmistakable shake-up for the medical industry. Elizabeth Toll’s mixed-media piece symbolizes the experience of entering and surviving the pandemic, depicted through beach pebbles and cloth. While Weiss contributes a stand of embroidered facemasks, turning a tool of the pandemic into a haunting reminder of its lingering effects. But the political commentary extends beyond COVID-19, apparent through a watercolor piece by Stephanie Garbern, an emergency medicine physician. Garbern’s host of images artistically depicts IVF, another controversial topic in today’s political climate and medical field.
One of the most striking pieces comes from Ben Katz, a first-year medical student at Brown University. His photography, taken during his time working with the NGO “Move Up Global” in rural Rwanda, illustrates the suffering from unclean water. His photographs urge people to donate to MoveUpGlobal.org to support its cause.
Matthew Rios, another medical student at Brown University and a 2020 graduate from Rhode Island School of Design, bridges the gap between medicine and art in his work. That theme of duality continues through the pastel art of Richelle C. Russell, a hospice chaplain, who sees the act of creation as needing the same attention they give their patients.
Another emotionally impactful piece comes from Kosuke Yuki, an Endoscope Repair Technician. Their photography of a sleeping, presumably homeless, boy reminds the artist of their passion to help others—whether that be through photographs or repairing the medical scopes used to treat patients.
The exhibit brings together art therapists, surgeons, nurses, doctors, students, and more, each contributing a unique perspective on the blend of medicine and art. And I’ve only provided a small glimpse of the works on display.
“Prescribing Creativity” is a memorable collection guaranteed to stick in your mind.
You have the chance to experience it yourself until October 20th. Whether you bring friends to discuss the exhibit with or go alone and appreciate the fine details in peaceful silence, it ensures a fun, introspective, and relaxing time. If you are looking for a dorm decoration too, many of the pieces are for sale. And once you have enjoyed the art, why not take a trip to one of the local cafes?
