The Role Art Plays in Society Today
Few activities are as universal as art, and humanity has made art since the very beginning, ranging from poetry to music to dance to painting, and much more. Many kings and queens have openly patronized the arts, and today, royal patronage is replaced with a robust art industry that sees big profits around the world every single year. All people like art, and while art is famously subjective, it is safe to say that art can always improve a place of business with its beauty. Modern art consultants get a lot of work, and setting up art for senior care homes, artwork in hospitals, art in libraries, and more is a common practice. Hotel art consultants can help make a hotel feel more like home, and art consulting services for hospitals can make any hospital more comforting for the patients and staff alike. A few framed photos and prints can go a long way, after all. Hiring art consulting services for hospitals is just the start, though; art design consultants can even find art for an office space.
Art and the Human Mind
Art does not appear in nature, and while many natural objects or vistas may appear beautiful to people, art that finds its way into hospitals or offices is made by the human mind. Art is made by people and for people, so it may not be surprising to hear that art has a positive effect on the mind when it is viewed. This is mainly why art consulting services for hospitals or offices prove so popular. What do the studies show? As for art consulting services for hospitals, studies have demonstrated that on a neurosurgery floor, 18 large pieces of local art were added to the rooms of several patients, and those patients felt more cared for as a result. Those patients also felt more at home, and more comfortable, too. Just adding art had that effect, even if no other factors were added to make the patients feel more at ease. Many veteran medical centers also have art programs at patients’ bedsides, along with permanent art collections and even commission sculptures.
Other studies and surveys showed that art, in any context, can make a person feel better. In 2011, the University of London launched a survey and found that blood flow to the brain’s “joy response” region increased 10% when a person saw a beautiful painting. This is similar to the effect of viewing a loved one. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Clinic found that over 60% of patients reported lower stress when they viewed the hospital’s art. This effect is also found in regular art museums and exhibits, and guests reported feeling more relaxed and at ease after at least half an hour of art viewing. Some studies even suggested lowered levels of cortisol after browsing a gallery.
The Business of Art
Now, how can art consulting services for hospitals and doctor’s offices help out? Today’s art business is quite large, and nonprofit organizations in the United States employ many thousands of artists, if not over a million. Local or amateur artist often enjoy increased exposure when art consultants use their work for displays in public areas or places of business, such as framed prints or photographs. In a hotel, a “homey” effect is achieved not only through plush carpeting and nice furniture and polished surfaces, but framed photos and artwork. This is the standard, and hotel guests are likely to find it odd if a hotel has no art at all to show. A doctor’s or dentist’s office will also feature art so patients feel more at ease, and help them relax while waiting for their turn. Libraries also feature art, to add to the calming and thoughtful air of such a place.
Don’t forget offices. An office place does not have to be dull and strictly utilitarian; many managers are turning to corporate art consultants to add more visual flair to the workplace. Why? For one thing, guests are bound to be impressed and feel more at ease when they visit, and the employees themselves will get a creative boost and feel happier overall. Visual flair such as creative desk and table arrangements, potted plant, and art will all have that effect.
