It seems to be an unwritten edict in the medical world: The corridors where patients wait for the doctor’s consultation have to be hemmed in by walls that are stark — sober and neat, but lacking in colour.
Isn’t that the case, usually?
Kauvery Hospital in Alwarpet is trying to overturn this general percepetion of the waiting hall and corridor, with what it calls ‘Project Magizhchi’.
The initiative seeks to help amateur artists from across Chennai by allowing them to display their artworks on the hospital walls. Of course, it helps the hospital, as the walls come alive with colours, shapes and stories.
The walls on three floors — second, fifth and sixth — and at the basement area of the hospital have been turned into an display section for art.
Uma Maheswari, head of innovation and talent management, Kauvery Hospital, says the hospital did have some art works adorn the walls when they started the facility but it soon became monotonous. Staring at a blank wall or waiting for the doctor can be frustrating, that’s when the management decided to do something more. With the project, they hope both in-patients and those frequenting the hospital will have a positive feeling taking a tour of the exhibits.
“This will be like a rotating exhibition, where new artworks would be placed every three months,” says Uma.
The founders of the hospital are patrons of art.
“We are particular that works of upcoming artists will only be showcased and it is being done on a no-cost basis,” says Uma.
Currently, 42 artworks of students of Sishya, OMR are on display.
The children — classes V to IX — had worked on them as part of their school exhibition.
On the basement, 18 ‘puzzle’ works of an autistic child are on display.
The hospital has more plans in the offing, with one of them being working slowly towards having artworks adorn all the floors. The artworks would be changed periodically.
“In the future, the artworks would also be up for sale. We might have special fund raiser events with the paintings,” says Uma.
Vijayalakshmi Shivaram, an artist, is helping curate the artworks.
“We have two criteria for selecting the artworks to be displayed — they must be secular in theme and pleasing to the eye,” she says.
Some of the doctors are also good artists, and we might make the walls “accessible” to their works too, she says.
The management will be promoting the works of the artists on their Facebook page.
