sweet auburn | 2024 volume II
Stoneman Healing Garden
We asked our friends at Dana Farber Cancer Institute how they incorporate the healing qualities of nature and art into their facilities:
Art and Healing
Art enhances hospital environments and humanizes the experience for patients, families, and staff. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’ s mission—“ to provide expert, compassionate care … innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries”— provided direction for the Institute ' s Art & Environment Committee as they assembled the contemporary art collection for the Yawkey Center for Cancer Care.
Acquired from recognized artists that push the boundaries of contemporary art, the collection is approachable, compassionate, and intellectually stimulating, with a true spirit of healing. The committee pursued artists with well-developed innovative concepts in their approach and who address cross-cultural populations. They identified a variety of media and styles including sculpture, painting, glass, printmaking, textiles, and photography.
The Thea and James Stoneman Healing Garden
Located on the third floor, the garden’ s 2,055 square feet of space provides seating areas nestled among stands of Bamboo, shrubs, seasonal flowers such as Tulips and Begonias, and hanging plants.
Richard P. and Claire W. Morse Conservatory
Overlooking the Healing Garden is the adjacent Richard P. and Claire W. Morse Conservatory, a glass-enclosed, negative-pressure space with comfortable seating that allows immunocompromised patients to enjoy the garden without negatively affecting their health.
— Elaine Tinetti, Art Program Administrator, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 9