Art
Research has shown that art can heal:
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“Art has been shown to have a calming and healing effect, which makes it a vital presence in a hospital environment.” — The Healing Impact of Art, Sally SAPEGA, Perelman School of Medicine / University of Pennsylvania Health System, May 25, 2012
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“Observational data revealed significant reduction in restless behavior and increase in socialization. Significant reduction in noise levels was found at both sites as well.” — Impact of Visual Art on Waiting Behavior in the Emergency Department, Upali NANDA, The Center for Health Design, 2011
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As such PPC aims to help heal through art, all while commemorating the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers, and all those involved in providing portraits to healthcare professionals,
If you have an idea for an art project and/or wish to have an art installation at your institution, please contact us.
1) MGH's bicentennial online exhibit
Portraits of the PPE Portrait Project in action at the Montreal General Hospital’s (MGH).
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Section “MGH TODAY 1997-2021- COVID-19 AT THE MGH”: COVID-19 at the MGH.
2) MUHC Faces of Covid-19 Mosaic
Multi-site set of three 27 x 40’’ art installation mosaics at the Montreal General, Montreal Children's, and Royal Victoria hospitals created in collaboration with the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Art and Heritage Centre. The headshots of MUHC workers form pixels that come together to create images of masked healthcare professionals: https://muhc.ca/news-and-patient-stories/news/world-smile-day-smiling-costs-nothing-and-does-world-good
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The installations have the following inscription accompanying it:
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"The use of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of added stress and fear in the healthcare environment. In April 2020, MUHC volunteers, inspired by Mary Beth Heffernan’s work during the 2014 Ebola epidemic, started PPE Portraits Canada, which consists of providing smiling headshot portraits that healthcare personnel can wear to reveal the smiles behind the masks.
This mosaic was created in collaboration with the Art and Heritage Centre of the MUHC to recognize, thank and commemorate all frontline workers and to those who contributed to the positive impact of the project. The PPE portraits of MUHC workers are featured here as pixels coming together to form the image of [Anh-Thy Le Quang, Kenneth Drummond, Geneviève Lambert], a healthcare professional at the Montreal General Hospital."
3) McGill's Maude Abbott Museum - Mosaic Display
Check out the mosaic displayed at the Maude Abbot Medical Museum in collaboration with Dr. Richard Fraser.
4) Montreal Children's Hospital: Commemorative Art
To recognize, thank, and commemorate the B09 unit team members who worked together to house the Montreal Children's Hospital's COVID isolation unit in 2020-2021. Photographed between 2020-2024, the PPE portraits of 67 B09 frontline healthcare workers are featured here as pixels. Together, they form a tree with a variety of handprint leaves that represent teamwork, adaptability, strength, and growth. A rainbow behind the tree mirrors the symbol of hope and unity that emerged during the pandemic.
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5) University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Photographed in 2020, the PPE portraits of 107 University of Toronto (U of T) healthcare students are featured here as pixels coming together to form the image of 4 U of T medical students from the Toronto division of PPE Portraits Canada (from left to right): Daamoon Ghahari, James Sanayei, Caroline Gregory and Rayoun Ramendra. The Toronto division also included U of T medical students: Michelle Lim, Kenneth Williams and Zoe Thompson.
