Montreal Children’s Hospital unveils grand mural to promote healing

by marika_gabriel | 10 August 2024 9:00 am

A new mural was unveiled at the entrance to the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Que., in early August as part of a project to transform the environment with kid-friendly art that will also capture the province’s character.

The mural, measuring 8 x 5 m (26.2 x 16.4 ft), features a humpback whale and her calf swimming with the Montreal skyline in the background, and is part of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation’s Healing Arts Project initiative.

The foundation says on its website[1] that the “Precious Bonds” mural is an “example of using art to create a soothing and healing environment that promotes patient relaxation by reducing stress, anxiety and pain levels”. It says decades of research show that a hospital’s physical environment significantly impacts patients’ healing and resilience.

Though the mural may at first appear to be a singular image, it is a mosaic of 750 individually painted tiles. The tiles were created by the hospital’s community of patients, parents, health professionals, volunteers, donors, and renowned Quebec artists, and feature snowmen, Halloween pumpkins, lions, flowers, sailboats, butterflies, ladybugs, and teddy bears among others.

The mural was designed by Lewis Lavoie, a visual artist with Mural Mosaic. Kits containing tiles and paint were distributed to community members, who each created a mini work of art. Hospitalized patients and those arriving for medical appointments also contributed to the artistry.

This is the first major installation of The Children’s Foundation’s Healing Arts Project. A committee of physicians, staff, infection prevention and control specialists, parents, and art experts oversee the project, ensuring the selected designs promote a strong sense of caring. “The goal is for children and parents walking through the hospital to feel it is a special place where they are in good hands,” the foundation said.

Renée Vézina, president of The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, said it has long been her goal “to work with the staff, patients, Quebec artists and our incredible donors to create a more welcoming kid-friendly environment”.

At the unveiling, Vézina extended her gratitude to Andrée Lafleur and Claude Bigras for their generous donation, part of which made the mural possible.

Robert Bloom, a parent of two children who frequently visits the hospital, said, when his 8-year-old son Benji saw the rendering of the whales, his eyes lit up. “I was in a meeting with members of the Healing Arts Committee, and we were trying to decide on the final image for the mural, and Benji’s spontaneous reaction clinched it. The whales won!” he recalls.

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/montreal-childrens-hospital-unveils-grand-mural-to-promote-healing/

---