Superhero Grandma– Art as healing

Art is recognized for its many benefits to society– culturally, politically, educationally.  Yet, little is discussed about art’s potential for healing, or for its potential to be used in the process of healing.  More and more, people and institutions are coming to realize that art holds powers that are more related to more than just aesthetics and the freedom of expression: it also holds the gift of healing, as well.

Art is also a great healer because of the interaction that results from the creation and viewing process.  The individual is able to talk through the art and the viewer is able to receive that communication and interpret it in their own manner.  Art also provides an avenue for encouragement; others are able to see the kind of creativity each individual holds and the artist feels a sense of pride in creating something that they did not see themselves as being capable enough to even imagine.

Often times, physical and mental health patients who are undergoing intensive treatment or suffering from depression are encouraged to use art as a means to explore their pain and their fears, and consequently learn about what they consider to be happiness and joy. In this way, art is seen as a means of facing one’s fears and tackling one’s obstacles that they may not be able to understand on a purely intellectual or verbal level.

One of the best and encouraging examples I’ve found of art as therapy is the series “Mamika” series by photographer Sacha Goldberger.  Seeing her grandmother, Frederika, depressed and lonely, Sacha decided to ask her to pose as the main personage in a photo shoot that portrayed the elderly woman as a superhero.  Frederika instantly lit up all throughout the shoot and once finished, Sacha created a Myspace page for her.  With thousands of friends who leave her encouraging messages, Frederika has found an outlet to reach out to a community outside of her normal circle and to end her sense of loneliness.  With more photo shoots and more photos, Frederika and Sacha have found a common activity that unites them and also serves each her own purposes: one to live her life as a photographer, and the other to live her life as a grandmother worthy of recognition.

Art does have the capacity to heal.  Like all things, it may be in the smallest of ways and the most imperceptible, but art truly possesses the power to make a difference in people’s lives.  The deeply intimate process of both creation and viewing make it an intrinsically interactive experience that touches the lives of everyone involved.