Health Care Fine Art

Critical - What We Can Do About the HealthCare Crisis

Everyone involved in the use of art in hospitals needs needs to understand the crisis in HealthCare and the possible solutions. This is certain to affect your work and your family.

One of quickest ways to learn about this is to read Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis by Tom Daschle. Daschle is worth hearing from since he will be in the center of activity on this issue as the Secretary of Health and Human Services in Obama's Cabinet.

Quotes from the book:

• Our system is fundamentally broken, and decades of failed incremental measures have proven that we need a comprehensive approach to fix it
  
• We are paying top dollar for mediocre results
  
• We are the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee necessary health care to all of its citizens
  
• Medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, accounting for about half of them.
  
• We seem to assume that high-tech medicine can only be better than low-tech medicine, that more medical care is better, and that more aggressive is better. Yet sometimes it isn't so.
  
• 31% of every dollar spent on healthcare in the United States is consumed by administrative costs. In Canada the percentage is less than 17%.
  
• Affordable coverage for small business owners and self-employed individuals is probably the biggest challenge that we have...
  
• Young adults are the largest and fastest growing group of uninsured. They also are likely to visit the emergency room with an injury, placing themselves and their family at considerable financial risk.
  
• Some people warn that covering everybody will lead to waiting lists and healthcare rationing. But the United States has its own type of rationing - rationing based on income, insurance status and illness.

Daschle proposes creating a Federal Health Board. This would be modeled on the Federal Reserve to “offer a public framework within which a private health-care system can operate more effectively and efficiently — insulated from political pressure yet accountable to elected officials and the American people.”

This well-written book is a quick-read and is available on Amazon for $16. Click here

William Eggleston: Democratic Camera

William Eggleston "Memphis", c. 1969-70, Dye transfer print, 15 15/16 x 19 15/16 in.

Today I finished reading and absorbing one of the books I got for Christmas: William Eggleston: Democratic Camera

Sum: My favorite photo book of 2008

Pros:

• 227 Eggleston prints in vibrant color - I'm tempted to frame some.
• This large well-crafted hardbound book is a bargain at $40

Cons:

• Ugly cover
• 14-pages of the book cover a video from 1974 that has nothing to do with his main body of work.
• Erratic writing quality by 5 authors (why so many writers?)

Better writing about Eggleston can be found in the New Yorker.  My favorite art critic Peter Schjeldahl writes:

You can always tell a William Eggleston photograph. It’s the one in color that hits you in the face and leaves you confused and happy, and perhaps convinces you that you don’t understand photography nearly as well as you thought you did.

He shoots like a shutterbug and executes like a painter.

To read the full article in the New Yorker click here.

This exhibit will be on view at the Whitney Museum in New York until January 25th, 2009. To see the Website that goes with the show, click here.

In case you are wondering about the the use of the word "Democratic" in the title, it has notthing to do with politics. Instead it has to do with the way Eggleston picks the subjects he photographs. "I had this notion of what I called a democratic way of looking around: that nothing was more important or less important."

Art in America - Improved

Art In America cover, December 2008

Art In America is my favorite magazine for contemporary art and it has just gotten better. Starting with the December issue they have a new layout that the editor Marcia Vetrocq calls "... refreshed, the type is updated, the illustrations more generous." I agree, now it seems closer to the look of a fine art book.

Granted, 95% of the art they show would never appear in a hospital, but it is fascinating to see what is going on in the Art World. The December issue focuses on contemporary art from Asia. In addition to looking better they continue to improve their writing. I especially like the pieces by Dave Hickey and Peter Plagens.

One area of weakness is Art in America's absence from the web. Vetrocq writes "A.i.A. acknowledges that it's been less than prompt in taking advantage of all that the Web can offer. On the horizon in 2009 is the rollout of our upgraded website."

A one-year subscription to Art in America costs $29.95. You can order it online. Click here

LinkedIn - Social Networking for Business

LinkedIn is different than other Social Networking sites. LinkedIn is Social Networking for adults; geared toward business.

After  asking "What the Heck is Social Networking" and writing a post on it a couple months ago (Click here) I almost gave up on the the idea.  I concluded that Twitter, MySpace and FaceBook were  for teenagers to stay constantly connected with one another. Places to discuss the latest gossip in High School.

Why I like LinkedIn:

• Keep connections even after people change jobs or email addresses
• It is a form of "Permission Marketing" as described by Seth Godin.
• It is Free
• It is Easy to use
• Online Networking with the people I work with

I encourage you to try it out and create your own profile.
Here is mine: www.linkedin.com/in/henrydomke

If you want a book to help this make sense, consider "LinkedIn for Dummies" by Joel Eland. The website is so simple that you may not need the book, but if you are a novice to Social Networking, it helps.

The website to get started with LinkedIn is: www.LinkedIn.com

Is Abstract Art relevant today?

Catalog for the current exhibit: Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976

The use of abstract art in healthcare is controversial. But where does abstract art fit in the larger art world; beyond the walls of hospitals? The exhibit: "Action/Abstraction: Pollock, de Kooning, and American Art, 1940-1976" has me ruminating on the history of abstract art and it's place today.

My conclusion: Abstract art is now a minor player in the confusing jumble of contemporary art.

Richard Kalina wrote in the September issue of Art in America:

Does...abstraction have anything to tell us about today? In what ways ... does this relate to the problems we face in a much larger and more complex artworld? Art now seems to have no boundaries, literally and figuratively. Art is made and displayed virtually anywhere in an exponentially expanding art world of art fairs, biennials ... the Internet...essentially in any form conceivable.

On the one hand this is liberating, on the other it is confusing.

It is confusing! It would be so much easier if there was truth in art like the time period covered by this exhibit (1940-1976). During that era Art critics Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenburg wrote convincing essays about right and wrong. They believed there was one right truth about art. Many artists and art connoisseurs believed them.

Today that is all gone and abstract art is now merely one of a thousand possible answers for what art can be. I miss that era of certainty!

The book of the exhibit is available from Amazon.com, click here

Information on the exhibit at the Jewish Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo can be found by clicking here

Green Design - a Hoax?

It seems that all HealthCare Design projects and products are "Green" these days. Are they really good for the environment or is it just a big hoax for the PR effect?

Thomas Friedman's new book: "Hot, Flat and Crowded" argues that most of what we call "green" today is just fluff to make us feel good without really doing anything meaningful:

I've heard so many people saying, "We're having a green revolution". Of course, there is certainly a lot of green buzz out there. But whenever I hear that "we're having a green revolution" line I can't resist firing back: "Really?, Really? A green revolution? Have you ever seen a revolution where no one got hurt? That's the one we're having, everyone's a winner, nobody has to give up anything, and that adjective that most often modifies "green revolution" is "easy." That's not a revolution. That's a party. ... mostly a costume party. It's all about looking green...

Even hospital art is trying to go green. I've covered the idea of green framing and green artists on other posts. Most "Green Design" in healthcare is a hoax, a harmless hoax.

There are exceptions. Recently I met Richard Dallam, partner with design firm NBBJ. He explained how their new office at Alley24 was green in many ways: lighting, ventilation and sustainability. For their efforts they were awarded an LEED Gold rating. He is designing hospitals using the same principles. Richard commented:

It's unfortunate that so many of the good intentions relating to designing a healthier, less environmentally impactful built environment are surrounded by the cloud of "hot air."  There are some legitimately helpful things being done in design that will help the design and construction industries have a substantially lower impact on the environment.

If you want to move from symbolic gestures to meaningful action on green issues, read this book. It is remarkably well written and fairly easy to read for such a ponderous topic. It's easy to see why he has already won three Pulizer Prizes.

HealthCare Spaces 4

HealthCare Spaces 4 by Roger Yee was just published; mine came last week. I got a complimentary copy since I'm advertising in it this year. It looks to be up to the high standards of the previous editions.

In case you are not familiar with the HealthCare Spaces books, they are richly illustrated coffee table books which showcase the most exciting Healthcare buildings in North America. Looking at the 800 high-quality images is inspiring and lets you know what the top firms are creating.

Observations:

• The color photographs are luscious, but it's hard to tell which are computer generated (CGI) and which are real. Blurred people seem to be the norm in both.
• I was surprised (and pleased) by how forcefully Yee presented the serious problems we face in American with soaring healthcare costs and mediocre results; especially when compared to other developed countries. The provocative opening sentence to the book is: "Being and American may not be automatically bad for your health."
• The use of Art in Healthcare is not discussed but you can see a wide range of 2D and 3D art in many installation shots. Some of the art (especially for kids) is pretty wild (see p. 27, 45, 90-93, 123 & 235).
• There are no Healing Gardens featured, but most of the buildings show attractive conventional landscaping.

Most people who get this book will probably not read the text, but they should. Yee wrote a fine essay "Is Design a Cure?" on p. 252. The key ideas:

• "While design cannot correct America's dsyfunctional healthcare system, it is dramatically improving the healthcare experience for everyone it serves."
• Patient rooms are going to single-room, but at the same time enlarging to allow for exra caregivers (staff and family). If a room is to be variable acuiity (which reduces patient transfers) extra space has to be included for the extra equpment that might be needed.
• Surgical Suites are also expanding - now averaging 600 sq. feet each.
• ERs are rapidly growing since they are often the first place uninsured people go for basic healthcare.
• Healthcare facilities are being designed to welcome families.
• Staff ammenities are geting more attention in an effort to reduce staff turnover (there is a chronic and serious nursing shortage in America). How can design increase the satisfaction of nurses and allow them to deliver more personalized care?
• He concludes the essay and the book by returning to the theme of the healthcare delivery crisis and writes: "Delivering healthcare to all Americans will obviously require profound, innovative and far-reaching social, political and economic solutions."

Healthcare Spaces No. 4 is available on Amazon.com for $37.50. Click here.

 

The Guild Sourcebook, Volume 23

Yesterday the UPS truck showed up with a box containing the latest edition of the Guild Sourcebook of Architectural and Interior Art. This is now Volume 23.

The book is a rich visual reference for those seeking art for healthcare. This year the book features 11 artists that are "Moving Toward Green". I'm happy to say that they asked me to be one of those artists (see p. 250).

To learn more about The Guild Sourcebooks, I interviewed Jenna Brandt in May 2007:

What is unique about your service?

The Guild represents more than 1,200 top artists working in media from glass, sculpture, and prints to furniture, lighting, and jewelry. The Guild Sourcebooks offer a professional and comprehensive marketing package to artists while working to connect the design trade with professional artists and their work. Our Sourcebooks have resulted in thousands of new art commissions for public and private spaces.

How are artists selected for inclusion?

Artists either contact The Guild or The Guild contacts artist about participation in The Guild Sourcebooks. Once an artist has made the decision to participate, a space reservation is made. All artists are then juried into the Sourcebooks based both on quality of artwork and photography. Our jury is comprised of design and art professionals as well as The Guild’s design, production, marketing, and trade professional relations staff members.

Do you have a sense of what percentage of your readers are involved with HealthCare Design?

We have a large number of interior designers, architects, and art consultants who work in healthcare design.  We find that these professionals are interested in both of our books - The Guild Sourcebook of Architectural & Interior Art for public areas, both indoor and out; and The Guild Sourcebook of Residential Art for smaller-scale work for patient rooms and other private areas.

How many copies are printed?

10,000 copies are distributed annually to a select list of North American architects, interior designers, art consultants, public art administrators, landscape architects, liturgical consultants, and other design professionals. This publication showcases site-specific architectural and interior artworks for public, corporate, healthcare, hospitality, and liturgical spaces.

The Guild Sourcebook of Architectural & Interior Art Published each fall since 1985

How many artists are represented?

On average, about 250 artists are represented in each publication.

If someone isn't getting the "book" now, how could they request it?

To register as a Design Professional visit:
www.guild.com/servlet/Guild/AuthenticateDesignPros

Registering as a Design Professional with The Guild is FREE, and allows password-protected access to portions of our website specifically for design professionals. Benefits of registration include:

• Annual editions of Guild Sourcebooks
• Exclusive design professional discount of 15% on all purchases made at www.artfulhome.com
• Direct email access to hundreds of Guild artists
• “Post-a-Project” for instant broadcast of project opportunities directly to Guild artists

 Is there a website that shows the artists?

All current Sourcebook artists are online.  You can view both The Guild Sourcebook of Architectural & Interior Art and The Guild Sourcebook of Residential Art page-for-page in Guild's Custom Design Center at www.guild.com/cdc.

For artists who might be interested in receiving more information. you can contact:
Jenna Brandt
Guild Sourcebooks

The Guild, Inc.
Toll Free: 800.930.1856
jbrandt@guild.com
www.guild.com/cdc

Design Details for Health

How long does a book remain useful after it is published? Most books, especially reference books don't last. "Design Details for Health" seems fresh even thought it has been a decade since it first came out. As Wayne Ruga said: ". . . this book is a reference standard with timeless value."

Granted, nowhere in the book will you see the term "Evidence-based Design" used, because  that phrase was not in widespread use a decade ago.  But the book is packed with useful ideas that would be of real value to Interior Designers working on HealthCare projects.

In 300 pages Ms. Leibrock covers the entire field of Healthcare in depth. Long-term care, Subacture Care, Ambulatory Care and Inpatient Hospitals each gets a section with several chapters. The writing is clear and very practical. Frequent references to "real world" projects are given with pictures and floor plans.

Summary:

• Great Comprehensive Reference Book for Interior Designers working in HealthCare

Pros:

• Practical advice that is easy to access.

• A well constructed book with high quality paper.

Cons

• Very little about the use of Art in Healthcare

• Lots of floor plans and useful photographs, but only a few are in color.

Ms. Leibrock is the principal/founder of EASY ACCESS TO HEALTH (www.AgingBeautifully.org) in Ft. Collins, Colorado, a firm that offers consulting services in patient centered design, planning for independent living. She was selected as a Changemaker in 2002 by the Center for Health Design.

Good New Flower Photography Book

I've read a lot of books on Flower Photography. Christopher Beane's "Flower" stands above the others. This is a large format "coffee table book" that has 150 portrait pictures of flowers.

Most of the pictures go in very tight on the flowers which allows the formal aspects of the picture to be explored; pattern, color and texture. If you have seen my flower pictures you know this is the way I prefer to see them.

Beane has developed this body of work over years. Even though these are all tight flower shots there is remarkable diversity: color, black and white, groupings, black background, white background and even vibrant abstract backgrounds.

I found the pictures of chewed dying leaves (such as "Hops Camouflage 2000") to lack much appeal, but most of the other pictures work well. I think they would fit well into a healthcare interior.

This is a high quality publication: paper and printing (in Singapore) are first class. Many flower books are lean on text, but here the text by Anthony Janson was useful even if he did tend to gush a bit with phrases like ""one of the greatest photographers I have ever run across."

To learn more about the book: www.christopherbeane.net