The Mindful Photography & Cinema project, held at Prof. Hospital. Dr. Angelescu from Bucharest, has reached the end, after four months of activities dedicated to the exploration and use of visual art – photography and film – to improve the well-being of patients.
Remarkable results
The project offered patients, relatives and medical staff the opportunity to take part in 14 creative workshops, film screenings and thematic discussions. These activities culminated in a public exhibition at UNATC IL Caragiale, an event marked by emotion and introspection, preceded in September by an international participation at MedFest Egypt. In Cairo, a selection of the patients’ works were exhibited in front of a community of international experts in the artistic and medical fields, the project being appreciated as an example of interdisciplinary intervention in the panel specially organized for it.
The exhibition – A space of reflection
The exhibition captures an intimate and rarely explored dimension of patients’ lives, shedding light on the deep relationship they have with small, everyday objects – slippers, the bed or the television – symbols of essential personal comfort. Each of these objects acquires a special meaning, becoming not only tools of comfort, but anchors in daily reality, their support in the face of difficult life paths.
Another poignant aspect of the exhibition is the capture of the patients gaze outwards towards nature – as a window to hope, health and a form of normalcy. This duality, between attachment to things that give them stability and attraction to something beyond the everyday, suggests a desire for escape.
“The combination of the thought behind each photograph and the artistic result creates a moving introspective experience. The exhibition becomes not just a gallery of images, but a space for reflection on human fragility and resilience,” said Monica Stanscreenwriter and director.
Round table – Interdisciplinary dialogue
During the closing event, the round table hosted by UNATC brought together five experts – Florentina Doicescu, psychoanalyst psychologist, Romina Boldașu, vice-rector of UNATC research, Yolanda Crețescu, Adlerian psychotherapist, Andra Hera, screenwriter and director, and Monica Stan, screenwriter and director – to discuss the impact of visual arts on the well-being of patients, both from the angle of research and psychology and of the authors. The debate emphasized the role of art as a tool for reflection and healing, but also the interdisciplinary potential of similar initiatives.
“Through photography and film, patients not only express their emotions, but build their own narratives,” said Mirona Radu, project founder and moderator of the round table, emphasizing the transformative power of the creative process.
Future perspectives
The success of the project paves the way for new initiatives to integrate art into the medical environment, both in Romania and internationally. The team aims to expand the activities to other hospitals and create a best practice platform for the exchange of ideas between the artistic and medical fields.
The Mindful Photography & Cinema project demonstrated that visual art can be a catalyst for change and reflection, highlighting both human fragility and resilience.
Mindful Photography & Cinema is a cultural intervention project, produced by Creative Fame and co-financed by The Administration of the National Cultural Fund (AFCN).
The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the results of the project may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.
Partners: National University of Theater and Cinematography “ILCaragiale in Bucharest”, Hospital Prof. Dr. Angelescu, Medfest Egypt.
Media partners: Radio Romania Cultural, IQads, Spotmedia, LiterNet.ro, Ziarul Metropolis, Cinefan.ro, Munteanu Recomandă, Happ.ro, MovieNews, Filme-cărți.ro, Viața Medicală, Cinefilia.
Source: www.iqads.ro
