On Wednesday, April 30, a group gathered in the walkway between Washington Health’s (WH) hospital and trauma center, where art pieces enlivened the plain white fence.
Standing before the row of colorful drawings (plus one photo), community member and artist Susan Longini quotes a National Institute of Health study that found art in hospital settings boosts the physical and psychological wellbeing of not only patients but families and staff as well.
The center mural—a collection of puzzle pieces—has been on display for three years. Gisela Hernandez, WH director of community relations, told how the art found them. “Students from American High reached out and said, ‘We want to paint a mural on your campus. Will you allow us to?’ We said, Absolutely.” It was a new idea back then, but very welcome.
This time, Irvington and Newark Memorial students stepped up to offer their talents, along with several established local artists.
Logan Hu of Irvington High School shared how in his work “Threads of Healing” he wanted to show how healing is both “clinical and deeply rooted in human nature.” The piece, which took about two months to complete, shows a nature spirit with medical equipment in her leafy hair holding a quilt of textiles from around the world.
Julila Catancio of Newark Memorial also took a nature theme for her piece, where hands cradle a bonsai tree. She said, “They symbolize the delicate balance between care and growth. Just as the bonsai tree requires patience to thrive, so does the journey of healing.” As a bonus, the art department joined in to cover the background with hand prints, making the work a true group effort.
Lilia Reynoso contributed two pieces—a portrait of her son, and “Root in Motion,” a runner with a vegetable bouquet for a head. The latter one also has a family connection. She said, “I was inspired by my dad when I did this one…He worked in the fields for several years. He was familiar with all the fields that were in the area.”
Michael Nguyen’s Warhol-inspired “melting pot” soup can honors his family’s connection to the hospital. He said, “[My piece is] dedicated to my father. He recently passed away in October. It’s a full circle moment for me as I get to dedicate this painting to him and the hospital that cared for him.”
Ralph Cooksey-Talbott supplied the only photograph of the collection, an almost abstract view of the salt marshes. This work came from a time when Cooksey-Talbott took aerial photos of Tesla parking lots for an assignment. While up in the helicopter, he was struck by the mercurial and ever-changing nature of the landscape from Alviso to Eden Ecological Reserve. He noted that there aren’t many “rectilinear shapes out there” and he wanted to capture the “wonderful liquid flow of things.”
WH CEO Kimberly Hartz sums up, “All these works of art promote healing, foster a sense of community and honor the rich diversity of our communities.”
The larger pieces will remain on display in the walkway, while the smaller ones will migrate inside to the Washington Health board room.
