Art in Italian Hospitals: Part 2
A hallway in Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence before and after Elaine Poggi's photos were hung
Elaine Poggi continues her investigative reporting on the art scene in Italian Hospitals:
The following are my thoughts on the old public hospitals in Italy. I’ll write another article on our new public hospitals later…
Many of the public hospitals in Italy date back hundreds of years. The oldest hospital in Europe is Santa Maria Nuova, just a few blocks from my office in Florence. Parts of this hospital date back to the late 1200s. Thus, it is easy to imagine that the structures of the facilities may not be in great shape. Most if not all of these old hospitals do not have funding for art in their budgets because funding is poured into the maintenance of the structures.
When I enter these hospitals, sometimes it is difficult for me to breath because of the depressing atmosphere, the dirty and bare walls, the uncomfortable and mismatched furniture, the patients waiting for hours in tiny waiting rooms. It is just awful…
Fortunately in the last few years there are signs of improvement. Sometimes the doctors or nurses at their own expense will put up posters or photographs on the walls of their area. Through The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, I have donated hundreds of nature photos to many hospitals all over Italy to add some color. I would say that the need for art to brighten these old facilities is urgent.
Many of the public hospitals in Italy date back hundreds of years. The oldest hospital in Europe is Santa Maria Nuova, just a few blocks from my office in Florence. Parts of this hospital date back to the late 1200s. Thus, it is easy to imagine that the structures of the facilities may not be in great shape. Most if not all of these old hospitals do not have funding for art in their budgets because funding is poured into the maintenance of the structures.
When I enter these hospitals, sometimes it is difficult for me to breath because of the depressing atmosphere, the dirty and bare walls, the uncomfortable and mismatched furniture, the patients waiting for hours in tiny waiting rooms. It is just awful…
Fortunately in the last few years there are signs of improvement. Sometimes the doctors or nurses at their own expense will put up posters or photographs on the walls of their area. Through The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals, I have donated hundreds of nature photos to many hospitals all over Italy to add some color. I would say that the need for art to brighten these old facilities is urgent.
To read "Art in Italian Hospitals: Part 1" which dealt with art at Private Hospitals, click here.
Elaine Poggi was born in America but has lived in Italy for decades. She founded and heads the The Foundation for Photo/Art in Hospitals a non-profit publicly supported organization dedicated to placing comforting nature art in hospital world-wide. She is also a fine photographer and frequent contributor to this blog.
Comments