The point of departure for the project Art with a Bigger Purpose at the Paediatric Clinic in Ljubljana was to develop a creative interactive project whose all-around approach would create a friendlier hospital environment.

Visual arts are the most important way of non-verbal communication with proven therapeutic capacity; hence, it is no coincidence that works of visual arts form the backbone of the project. The task we have set for ourselves was to create art that stimulates the patients, the visitors and the employees, and that actively contributes to the recovery process with its therapeutic effects. Contributing artists come from four different cultural environments: Črtomir Just from Slovenia, Rafael Mayani from Mexico, Ruth Hengeveld from the Netherlands, and Fatheat & Bea Pantya from Hungary. Thus, the result is a colourful spatial network that includes, and brilliantly connects, the hospital’s interior and exterior.

Seasons – an animated mural
The artistic tandem Fatheat & Bea Pántya depicted friendly giant trees to point out the continuous regeneration of nature. This 16 meter tall mural, facing the in-patient rooms of the paediatric clinic, has proven to be a big hit among the children, staff and visitors. It’s not just another mural, the work combines still and moving image. It really can come alive! Using a free app, the audience can view an animation based on augmented reality technology. Download the LARA application and aim your phone towards the wall. If you cannot make it all the way to Slovenia, you still got a chance to see the animation in the film section.

The works of art are generated to inspire curiosity and playfulness while the simplicity of their form and the deliberate choice of tranquil colours convey optimism and evoke a sense of calmness. In terms of motifs, format, and techniques, the works are rather diverse; yet they are structured in a way that addresses the audience with a universal visual language. It is also notable that the artists created site-specific installations spanning an area of over 360 square metres, making use of the actual space and interacting with the immediate surroundings. The pair of murals in the courtyard is further augmented with an animation that makes them come to life. Using a free app (LARA), the audience can view an animation based on augmented reality technology. Thus, the work combines still and moving image, and connects the hospital exterior and interior. In terms of motifs, the starting points are quite diverse. Ruth Hengeveld draws from her own experience related to hospitals. She transformed a dull waiting room into a playful waiting room set in a forest, featuring animals and a myriad of mini stories. Thus, we are surrounded by a sort of large-format illustrations whose gentleness and light-heartedness evoke a sense of warmth. Črtomir Just created a triptych that addresses the viewer by presenting daily events at the hospital in a child-friendly way, seeking to lift their spirits. The seriousness of the theme is transformed and infused with an aspect of fantasy. Rafael Mayani uses in his creation an imaginary world of pristine nature, in which the children and their faithful companions look for miraculous medicines. The artistic tandem Fatheat & Bea Pántya depicted friendly giant trees to point out the continuous regeneration of nature.

Ruth Hengeveld draws from her own experience related to hospitals. She transformed a dull waiting room into a playful waiting room set in a forest, featuring animals and a myriad of mini stories. Thus, we are surrounded by a sort of large-format illustrations whose gentleness and light-heartedness evoke a sense of warmth.

In terms of form, the works are pronouncedly “soft”, free of sharp or aggressive lines, while the choice of colour is in accord with the message of respective works. All contributing artists are aware of the whole that is solid and homogeneous, yet with considerable stress on details. Even after several viewings, the impression from the works is one of dynamics. They remain open to interpretation, inviting the viewers to create their own narrative and inspiring imagination in all of us. Great emphasis was placed on the choice of themes, presentation, use of select colours, and the way in which complex and burdensome issues are presented in a simple yet responsible manner, particularly at a location most commonly associated with unpleasant experiences.

The project reflects all essential traits of the Nordic Art Initiative: long-lasting cooperation, education, connecting, interdisciplinary approach, and mutual trust. These are the key values of our mission – organisation and production of sustainable cultural projects at the top level, which leave a lasting mark in the broad community.