As part of the second phase of the ‘Art in Hospitals’ project, launched by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) at Al Jalila Children’s Speciality Hospital last December, the Authority turned the corridors of the paediatric department at Latifa Hospitalinto an art gallery full of beauty. This consolidates the importance of art and its role in influencing children’s psychological, spiritual and physical states as well as inspires children and integrates art into their treatment at the hospital.

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication Department, and Acting Chief Executive Officer of Arts & Literature Sector at Dubai Culture,stressed that this project aligns with one of the sectoral priorities of the Authority’s 2020-2025 strategic roadmap, which is the promotion and consolidation of the cultural and creative environment in the emirate as well as the integration of art and creativityin innovative ways to encourage talents, support them, and promote their work. The projectis also a source of inspiration for all members of the emirate’s creative communityto participate in enhancing Dubai’s cultural and creative scene in a way that would communicate the humanitarian message of art.

Al Suwaidi added: “Art plays an important role in improving individuals’ mood, contributing to advancingthe psychological states of the patients, especially children who are receptivetobright colours, butterflies and animal pictures that represent supportive factors in their treatment and accelerate their recovery process. At Dubai Culture, wedecided to use the artistic and creative talents in the emirate in service of the community and health issues, especially as we sponsor and embrace artists to participate in this type of art to encourage purposeful, patriotic artworks.”

The Authority cooperated with Latifa Hospital and Mohammed Saeed Hareb, the Emirati artist and director specialising in cartoons and Chairman of Lammtara Art Production, to designa creative environment that spreads joy throughout the corridors of the hospital’s paediatric department and brings pleasure to the hearts of young patients, contributing to raising their spirits to better combattheir diseases. A group of the company’s mural and graffiti artists took the initiative to draw and paint a number of murals expressing jungle animals, such as giraffes, monkeys, lions, elephants, sloths, birds, and Winnie the Pooh children’s characterwithin a beautiful, vivid, natural environment with captivatingcolours and shapes, sending a spirit of hope and positivity.

Commenting on his participation in the initiative, Hareb said: “In the medical care system, the psychological aspect is important in patients’ journeys, especially those who have to spend a long time in the hospital; the surrounding atmosphere in the corridors and rooms of the paediatric department was dull and void of any form of art. Based on studies of the child’s mind and psyche, we decided to make the muralsreflect joy and beauty, transforming the corridorsinto sources of comfort for the children.”

Hareb added: “At Lammtara, we studied many environments, such as deserts, jungles and seas, and decided to base our work on the jungle and its animals. I believewe were successfully able to implement beautiful murals, in line with the highest medical standards in terms of being bacteria-free and without the need for chemical washing. In cooperation with Dubai Culture and Latifa Hospital, we were able to present thesebeautiful corridorstoreflect the creative, psychological and human dimension of art.”