Anyone who has spent time as a patient or visitor at one of the Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) many facilities and clinics is no stranger to the presence of artwork.
MUSC has been collecting, curating and integrating art into its statewide network since 2018 through its Arts in Healing program — and, as the latest installation at the College of Nursing reveals, the focus extends beyond patient therapy.
Art in residence
Unveiled last week, the clinician-facing collection on display within the walls, corridors and rooms in the newly renovated Nursing building on Jonathan Lucas Street reflects a focus on themes of care and compassion.
“The nursing student experience can be intense and we wanted to create an environment that embodies the spirit of empathy at the heart of the profession,” said Mat Duncan, MUSC’s chief curator. “Through these pieces, we hope to remind students that, despite the challenges they face, they are part of something much larger — a community rooted in care, healing and service.”
The artwork, which is expected to serve as a source of inspiration and relaxation for nursing students, represents a diverse range of media and techniques. Together, according to Duncan, they speak to principles at the core of the profession — themes of resilience, self-discovery, transformation and connection.
The collection, which is owned in full by MUSC, features works by several local artists, each of whom brings a unique perspective to the subject matter. Among the Charleston-area artists on display are:
- Gret Mackintosh, whose vibrant aerial landscapes explore intricate connections between natural and man-made ecologies and encourage reflections on the delicate balance of life.
- Daniela Salgado, whose deep works reflect her journey of healing and growth, and use art as a language to inspire peace and self-acceptance.
- Charlotte Filbert, whose bold, textured paintings combine a love of nature and music, via emotion-evoking textured canvases that draw viewers into a world of transformation and self-discovery.
- Mione Plant, who blends the precision of her engineering background with creative fluidity, reflecting themes of resilience and transformation and offering a sense of levity that mirrors the emotional strength needed in nursing.
- Kristy Bishop, whose woven textiles are rich with the kind of bold patterns and vibrant colors meant to mirror the tactile qualities of mindfulness and patience that nursing students must carry into their future roles.
Curated alongside the college’s students and faculty, the new collection will be displayed throughout the College’s newly renovated first-floor lobby, classrooms, conference rooms and hallways. The project aims to create an environment that supports student well-being and encourages emotional growth during their rigorous educational journey, according to press materials from Arts in Healing.
Curating meaning
Site-specific curation is nothing new to Duncan. In fact, space, audience and intention are crucial to how the Arts in Healing program works.
“Nothing about what we do is an after-thought. We approached this collection thoughtfully as far as curating a selection of work that would, maybe not shape but definitely impact, the students’, caregivers’ and visitors’ experience within the space.
Duncan said the nursing college’s project took about three months to complete.
“At any given time, we have 60 to 90 active art programs happening at once. We look at variables, such as time (someone might spend six months in a bone marrow unit versus six hours in the emergency room); emotion (the maternity ward versus a space for students or an out-patient clinic); and even colors (yellow and green might not be what we need for cancer and other chronically ill patients, for instance).”
In the end, Duncan said, it’s about blending smart and cost-friendly spatial design with support of local artists and the end experience of those who interact with the specific clinical buildings and/or rooms.
The next project on the horizon is one about which Duncan’s particularly excited. A call to artists for wall coverings to grace areas in the pediatric radiology department at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital just went out, with entries welcome through March 2. Interested artists can find more information and apply at https://muschealth.org/patients-visitors/about-us/arts-in-healing/art-collection.
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