New York City hospitals house art collections worth millions

“People coming to hospitals are anxious, nervous, uncomfortable and often in pain. Having the art distributed is a major factor in their experience in lowering their anxiety levels and leads to better outcomes in their care,” said NYU’s Match Suna.

Art as medicine

While art certainly has healing properties, there is also science behind some of the decisions about where certain pieces can and cannot be displayed.

Abstract art featuring blocks of color can lead to a more therapeutic environment for behavioral health patients, according to Caitlin Orban, the current assistant director of workforce wellness at H+H who spent nearly 10 years working with patients as a licensed creative arts therapist in the system.

She recalled an instance where a female patient struggling with depression was not participating in group treatment. It wasn’t that she was unable to join in, she just didn’t feel like it, Orban explained.

There was a piece of art on the wall that resembled torn imagery. The patient tore up her own sheet of paper and began to recreate the picture, ultimately leading to her participation in group therapy.

“It’s important to find different ways to start therapeutic engagement,” Orban said. “When we’re not feeling our best, there’s not always language around it.”