Artworks healing people… displayed at hospitals and subway stations
“Even A Circle Recalls An Old Face to Koreans in Sakhalin”
In a lively, tumultuous atmosphere on December 23 last year, a quiet art exhibition was held at the House of Culture behind Emart in Dongchun-dong. This event attracted senior citizens from Yeonsugu Sakhalin Welfare Center, Ongnyeon-dong LG Apartment, Songdo-dong Songdo Punglim 1-cha Apartment and Songdo The Sharp Green Park 1-cha Apartment as well as participating artists. This was the 10th regular exhibition of “Beautiful Companion” by Sinabro Painting Group, which has provided art services for senior citizens since its foundation.
At first, I had many worries, so I tried to dissuade my students. Now I’m proud ofthem for never stopping to provide art services based on good faith since 2005.
As an adviser teaching members of Sinabro Painting Group, artist Jeon Bong-seon, 55, said she started worrying when she heard that her students including Sinabro President Yu Dong-woo would organize an art service group because she recalled the hard times she spent while studying art. Now the tireless effort, beginning with an exhibition on visit, to keep providing unfamiliar art services by her students is one of her greatest satisfactions. “We began to award scholarships to students in need the year after the foundation was set up, and a dentist donated his medical facilities to Yeonil School, a public special-education school located in Yeonsu-dong, and we started volunteer work.
That was an opportunity for us to start offering art services,” Jeon said.
This drove the group to provide art services to Sakhalin Welfare Center and exhibitions on visit.
Jeon said, “When we first started teaching the elderly how to paint at the center in 2011, they felt difficult and awkward about painting. We tried to awaken their memories to have them paint little by little. It was similar to the process of psychotherapy through art.”
The group let those who had never picked up a brush paint a picture by having them recall their childhood memories.
“We led them to remember people they love Writing by Kim Do-yeon · Photo by Hong Seung-hun such as their children, spouse or grandchildren and to paint their faces. Even a circle represented
much to them. It offered a chance for them to be gradually healed,” Jeon said. Sinabro registered itself officially with Yeonsu-gu Volunteer Center in 2011 for the first time as an art group to provide art services. Since then, the group has been active in doing volunteer work and extended the scope of its activities to senior citizen centers.
The group has held art exhibitions even at hospitals, welfare centers and subway stations.
“It’s difficult for long-stay patients to dive into the world of art. We’re trying to give a sense of psychological security to them through exhibitions on visit,” Jeon said. These exhibitions are meant to expect healing effects even for a short time, not just for display. “Volunteering through art itself is, of course, pleasant and worthwhile, but our services will play a role as a healing process, not just painting,” she added.
Sinabro has held several exhibitions on visit every year as well as art healing programs for senior citizens since its foundation in 2005.
