Greater Health Through Beauty

Greater Health Through Beauty

Emotion is key to good health and a major currency of art. The Greater Health Through Beautyclass is structured around the idea that for every emotion, there is a corresponding chemical released into the blood stream. These chemicals can have beneficial or detrimental effects on an individual’s wellbeing; the emotions produced can help or hinder one’s health. Because of this, the students created positive pieces of art specifically tailored for the diversity of clients at The Affinia, low income, health clinic on Broadway in South City. Students visited the clinic several times to talk with staff and patients, while also identifying appropriate spaces for their artwork – ranging from entrance signage to an interactive ant farm in the waiting room. They hoped to look at how the aesthetics of a work of art can evoke a positive emotion within the viewer that would contribute to their overall well-being.