RX ART
I believe in the healing power of art and I’ll tell you why. My two year old daughter fell, flat on her face, on our hardwood floor. Her mouth, full of swollen bruising and fear, is solemn. Tonight, she is on my lap as I scroll through the website for RxArt. We stumble across the William Wegman installation at Schneider Children’s Hospital of the North Shore – LIJ Medical System and, all at once, she is exclamation points and neon signs.
“PUPPIES! PUPPIES!”
“Yep, baby. Weimaraners,” I say. “Wegman.”
She looks at me for a second and bursts out laughing.
“PUPPIES!”
It is the first time she has smiled in days.
If you haven’t heard of RxArt before, you will be forever changed after you read this. Diane Brown, the President and Founder of RxArt, leads an awe-inspiring cast of board members who oversee the implementation of this genius vision.
“RxArt installations transform otherwise sterile environments, which are often frightening and alienating to patients, to more comforting, meditative and positive environments, by offering patients thoughtful diversion from their hospitalization. Our installations also help to relieve the stress experienced by doctors, nurses and staff. Our partner institutions are delighted with our projects reporting that they have made real and crucial contributions to healing environments.”
Art heals. Believe it.
Close your eyes for a moment and remember the last time you were in a hospital setting. Remember how it looked and how it made you feel. I guarantee I am not the only person who has wondered about the lack of a pleasing aesthetic in the one environment that could benefit the most. Now look at this amazing wall painting by Mary Temple at the Hassenfeld Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Imagine walking down a hallway such at this one, painted by Jason Middlebrook and located in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital boasts two original works by Will Cotton and six original works by Rob Pruitt in the Kay Kafe, where patients eat alongside doctors, nurses, researchers, family and visitors every day.
“We can’t fix healthcare but we can mend its spirit.”
Indeed.
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Miss Krista, our Weekend Editor, is a mother, a lover and a big believer in the power of a cupcake. she loves double entendres but is not a fan of the high-five. She blogs about the corners of her heart at my life as i see it.
Andy Warhol.
people say: “Yeah, but I could do that”
then you say: “Yeah, but you didn’t”
pure genius, so before his time. 100% icon.
The three pyramids at Giza. Rising out of the sand in the land of the dead, they recreate the jagged landscape of southern Egypt where the earliest paraohs had been buried. No other work of art before or after them manages to be architecture AND landscape at the same time.
I’ll have to appeal to the old saying, “I don’t know art, but I know what I like.” When I was in Paris ten years ago, I was drawn to Degas’ ballerinas, both the sculptures and the paintings. It has been reported that Degas enjoyed watching the pain of the ballerinas as he insisted they pose for hours on end. I don’t like knowing this, but ballerinas must dance seemingly impossible steps, and Degas captured the subtleties of those twisted muscles.
“Molly Matilda” – she’s a doll my cousin made for me when he was five years old – red fabric body, yellow yarn hair, big painted eyes – and a smile that takes up her entire face. He even made a dress, pillow, and blanket (which a bit of help from his mother, naturally). The “artist” may not be known; the “piece” may never hang in a gallary, but I just can’t imagine a more precious work of art.
I think humans are the greatest work of art. I know that sounds corny, but I believe it is true. We are each are own unique person, like works of art. We are “made” by 2 people giving part of themselves, hopefully the best parts. The only difference from a painting or a statue is that we can evolve and change the look of our canvas.
just earth in general, you look allround you and you see beauty in things. but really earth from outer space, its one of the greatest peices of art ever.
The Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino. How he carved, out of marble, a life-sized figure with a transparent veil on top…I will never understand, but will always be awed by.
this is a difficult question, I love all different kinds of art…
but the artist I love the most, and have loved him since I learned about him in grade school, has to be Monet. And choosing a painting of his is hard enough, I love his lily pads and his Japanese bridge… and his haystacks. I appreciate his work the most, I believe, because I have been to his garden and see his lily pads and his bridge first hand.
The way he plays with light and with colour… I could stare at one of his paintings for hours and still find new places of lightness and joy that I did not see before.
Argh! This question makes me laugh and also makes me frustrated. It’s because of the nature of art — to me, art the object is a “thing” that someone has made, but the experience of art happens between the object and the person who looks at it. This is why one person’s sublime amazing I LOVE IT art is another’s ew gross horrible ugly art. I don’t know that I can pick one greatest work of art of all time, simply because I’m so limited by what I like and by what I’ve been exposed to. I can tell you the work I think has been most widely viewed and appreciated, likely the Mona Lisa (which I personally think is ok, but no great shakes). OTOH, my *favorite* art is easy. It would either be the painting “My Life in Greek Myth” by Angie Reed Garner, here:
http://www.angiereedgarner.com/mylife.html or a little crayon drawing of a smiling multicolored striped flying fish done by my son when he was four. It’s impossible not to be happy while looking at it.
This is an impossible question to answer, so thanks for asking it. I believe that all great works of art share common characteristics — for example, they draw you in, engage you, make you want to stay, see, and learn more — but choosing THE greatest work of art? I think taking this on would make my head explode!
Then again, If I think outside traditional definitions, the answer is obvious: the human body. What a practical and miraculous work. Average and extraordinary, manifest and mysterious, it demands our participation and yet does an amazing job of taking care of itself. We’ve learned so much about how it works, and yet there’s still so much to discover. And don’t get me started on the connection between the body and the mind. That one really WILL make my head explode!
P.S. This is my first introduction to RxArt. What a useful and important approach to healing. It reminds me that the simplest concepts can be the most beautiful and beneficial.
The milky way. Just look at how every star and planet is placed. No matter where you look, you’ll feel at ease. It is indeed one of the greatest works of art.
It’s funny, we were just talking about art last night and I was telling him about the time I saw A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat, how beautiful and moving and incredibly powerful it is in real life.
I guess it would be my favourite work of art I have seen with my own 2 eyes.
Well I would have to agree about the human body being the ultimate work of art. And since everyone is different it is hard to pick out the masterpiece. That being said, I do have a piece of artwork that resonates with me…I saw it during an art class that I was required to take in college and ever since I just always think of it whenever I think of my grandmother. Salvador Dali’s The Persistance of Memory. And while it is just my interpretation of the piece, the soft/melting watches make me think about her fight with dementia and about the mind in general. How, as you get older, your mind starts to soften and memories blur together with other memories and therefore skews reality. Again, just my interpretation of a surreal painting, but it is what I immediately thought of when I read the question.
My favorite work is by Piet Mondrian (say Pete) called Gray Tree. I just think it’s lovely. A storm’s effect on a great tree. Beautiful.
Zion National Park… I’m in awe every time I go there
As an artist and an art history student over the years, I don’t think this question can be answered. It is all subjective. My favorite paintings shift like sand, Same with the sculptures. When I was a little girl of 8, I was awed my Michaelangelo’s David, but the unfinished sculptures in the hallways leading to the large masterpiece appealed more to my untrained eye. Now, as a design teacher, I tend to gravitate to functional art, buildings and furniture.
Thank you for asking such a hard question! It gets the blood flowing this morning.
i dont look at much art, im more of a photography person.
Thanks!
I love a cleverly executed art exhibition, but I rarely feel so strongly about what is housed within as I do about every well-worn marble tile on the floor, every step sculpted by generations of treading, and every inscription polished by the gaze and fingertips of untold legions of seekers. So while my heart stops for Fra’ Angelico, my fingers tremble for Bernini, and my mind weeps for Il Greco, the greatest work of art ever created is the testament left by our common wonder.
The Grand Canyon. Since that is probably not what you had in mind then I will choose Ball at the Moulin De La Galette by Renoir. I have always been drawn to this painting–the beauty of the women and the men dancing and having fun….I purchased a print when I was a college student for my dorm!
This is the toughest one yet!! I think the works of Gaudi are the most impressive to me – and I long to see them in person. But until then, here is what makes me happy on a daily basis, as I discover them around our neighborhood… and just thinking of them make me smile:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gKa3bKRhp4
I hope you enjoy them and have a happy Friday! (BTW – he’d be perfect for RxArt!!)
I feel so unqualified to answer this!
I’ll take a stab at it though.
The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo because of it’s scale, the time it took to paint it, the care and skill invested in it’s creation and the number of people who have traveled great distances to see it. It’s over 500 years old now. That, in itself, is amazing to me.
planet earth.
Wow, what a good question. I’ll stick with architecture of some sort – how about the Parthenon?
Such a tough question! I can’t think of anything that surpasses the Sistine Chapel, although I think the Lincoln Monument is just as beautiful. My favorite work of art, however is Winged Victory, which currently resides in the Louvre. Although missing her head, she is such a powerful and beautiful figure of a woman that she’s always been my favorite.
There is not one “greatest work of art of all time”, but one of the best of my generation is certainly Shigeru Ban’s ‘Paper Church’ Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but it was functional and necessary in a time of need for these Japanese worshippers after the Kobe earthquake in 1995. Ban has made many amazing works, not only for disaster relief, but this one is, to me, by far the most beautiful.
http://www.shigerubanarchitects.com/SBA_WORKS/SBA_DRP/SBA_DRP_2/SBA_DRP_2.html
I have this beautiful friend named Frank who used to live in Orlando with us. Once a month he would put together the church of light sound and touching. We would come together dressed simply, but in bright colors. We would run through tunnels of sheets, drink pomegranate juice and sing in unison the words from all dogs go to heaven. We all came together just to celebrate each other and do things that really spoke to who we were as human beings. So much of his work is inspired by William Wegman and Jim Henson, and it is by far the most touching art form I have ever experienced.
..just celebrated mardi gras in New Orleans..my 6 yr old friend Analia painted my face..I was a beautiful living piece of art…my heart sang , my spirit soared ,peace love fun innocence color and wonder… oooh,the sweet art of Analia!
I don’t know what I’d consider “the best” work of art ever made. That’s a pretty heavy question. But I know one that would be considered one of the best, Stonehenge. I don’t think it was created for the purpose of being art, but it’s definitely one of the first sculptures, and earth art pieces made. I love the different interpretations of Stonehenge and the different possibilities as to the meaning behind it. It ceases to amaze me. How in the heck dis they haul and lift those stones? How did they make their calculations without modern day technology? There was obviously purpose and a knowledge behind it, two things that help in creating a good piece of art.
Speaking in opinion, i believe music is a subgroup in the canopy which is art. with that said, i think Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 is the greatest peice of art in the history of the world. it possses relaxing qualities yet varied “confusion” , creating a piece delightful to listen to. it is one of the only songs which seems appropriate to play when in any emotion, be it happy or sad. the relaxed flow of the music trumps any artistic competition…
As an art student I am learning more and more that you can not define what art is. As artists we are constantly trying to capture ideas, the beauty of nature and the human nature in our work. I believe that the greatest work of art of our time is the human smile. The fact that we are able to smile through all of the destruction and negativity in our world is truly amazing. A smile is contagious, it brightens others’ days, it is universal.
A single human cell.
I tend to change my mind every time I see a new piece. I think art in general is wonderful and it’s impossible for me to name the greatest piece of all time. “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”….right?
Great question, but I can’t answer it!
I think code is art… so props to all who made “computers” and “internet” possible :)
The artist who paints the the sky with golden hues and fluffy clouds.
Summer 1903 by Alphonse Mucha (not to be confused with the more popular Summer piece in his later series)
http://www.illusionsgallery.com/Summer-1903.html#
The Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo, Norway (my name links to its Wikipedia article if you wanna check it out–and please do!). I’d never heard of it before I visited, and was utterly blown away. It’s really one of those things you absolutely have to see to fully appreciate. A huge park, filled with hundreds of massive stone sculptures, all designed/sculpted by one person. All sculptures revolve around the theme of life and living. Well, you can read this on the Wiki page :) but to see it in person was truly awesome. The whole park is a work of art, and I must say it is the greatest. If you ever happen to be in Oslo I strongly recommend it.
A sunset is the most beautiful work of art — it represents both a beginning (the moon rising) and an ending (the sun setting). It’s just amazing! :) These are great prizes–thanks in advance!!!
nature’s work is the greatest art, the outline of oak trees in winter or the sun fading across the ocean at sunset, or the blossoms that bloom in the spring, the pristine beauty of a snowy landscape…….what can be greater!
Mark Rothko. His paintings really reminds me as an artist that simple is beutiful, but not easy. It makes my heart beat faster.
Van Gogh, Terraza del café de la Place du Forum en Arlés por la noche
Like so many others have said, I cannot really decide on a favorite. I see beauty and passion and understanding in many great works but can also see that same depth in the work produced by my children or out in nature. Thank you for this lovely giveaway.
I probably wouldn’t recognize the greatest work of art of all time if I have seen it. But to my aesthetic Dali’s The Temptation of St. Anthony is one of the top. He drew inspiration from other great artists like Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Bosch but still his style is unmistakable. The opaque blue sky and barren landscape are defiantly Dali, as they are beautiful. And how appropriate that temptation walks on spidery legs.
this is probably a very typical answer, and it may not necessarily be “the greatest work of all time,” but if people are still buzzing about it and researchers are still trying to crack the mystery behind it, then i think the artist is hundreds of years ahead of his time in marketing himself and his work. da vinci’s mona lisa is still being studied by art historians and scientists to uncover the true identity of the woman in the portrait. such buzz is worth millions to companies, and to think, da vinci didn’t even have facebook or twitter.
How can anyone choose? The night sky with a sliver of moon? A beautiful song? A painting that inspires you? A photograph that scares (but informs) you? The calm orderliness of a damp zen garden? The face of a small child in a country in need? Opera? Times Square or the Aurora Borealis? The Mona Lisa encased in security and glass or your child’s paintings on the fridge?
I can’t help always being drawn into Starry Night – love it
I don’t think I’m qualified to make a statement about the greatest work of art of all time, but I do know the greatest work of art in my life. It’s the picture on my mother’s living room wall. It’s a painting from a picture she took while standing on the corner looking down the street in the Campus Town district of her college town. Now I go to the same school, and it’s amazing to see how much the world has changed in 23 years. I think I’ll take a picture standing on the same corner before I graduate.
This is so easy for me…it would have to be any painting by Matisse particularly his paper cut-outs. Genius!!!
I don’t want to sound cocky…BUT!!!….I am a contemporary artist and the FEELING I get when I knock out one of my pieces makes EVERY one of them the greatest artwork in MY all time!
A newborn baby! Or, any painting by Van Gogh.
This is a really hard question, and I can’t narrow it down to one work, but I can narrow it down to my favorite artist, Frida Kahlo. She not only created stunning, colorful works with a lot of symbolism directly from her life in them, she had an amazing life story. I can’t look at any of her work without thinking about the incident in her life that it connected to, and what an amazing and interesting woman she was. She was flawed, like the rest of us, but she took what she had and made something incredible from it.