What are the roles of art and spirituality in healing?
The Wits Adler Museum of Medicine, in collaboration with artist Shanti Govender, is exploring the power of spirituality in healing through her thought-provoking exhibition From body to being.
Govender, a Wits fine art graduate, regards her art as a form of meditative practice and was inspired by the experiences of her mother, who succumbed to a chronic illness after 10 years.
She explained that her work has become a form of therapy and that her exhibition ultimately serves as a platform from which to explore the relationship between art, spirituality and healing.
From body to being is presented in the context of a broader conversation in which art and medicine converge to shed light on opportunities for introducing the spiritual dimension in healing. The other voices forming part of this conversation are Dr Tindile Booi, artist and medical doctor; Shelley Barry, filmmaker and artist; as well as the late Charlene Maslamoney, artist and writer.
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Based at the faculty of health science and medicine at Wits, the Adler Museum of Medicine invites artists whose work is of specific interest to the health sciences. Art within the space, both the museum and the faculty, is curated to raise awareness and visually engage viewers in health matters and broader social health issues.
“The Adler Museum of Medicine is proud to host this exhibition that brings together the voices and work of these artists in this month when we celebrate the struggles and achievements of women,” said the Adler Museum collections manager, David Sepeke Sekgwele.
The exhibition will be enriched by artist walkabouts and a series of panel discussions that bring together artists, academics, medical practitioners, students and the broader public, all aimed at stimulating discussion regarding the roles of art and spirituality in the healing process.
A percentage of the sale of artwork will be used to sponsor initiatives in support of healthcare and healing at selected public hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities.
The exhibition is currently open and runs until 8 October.
Details: 011 717 2081; www.wits.ac.za
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