If you are in the US right now and happen to be in the vicinity of Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute (AMI), please visit the Emirati Art Exhibition, “Three Generations,”  that is currently ongoing till the end of March.  The exhibition is taking place in  partnership with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and  Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute (AMI).

Dr. Iva on the open day of the exhibition in the US

Dr. Iva on the open day of the exhibition in the US

I had the pleasure of meeting Iva Fattorini, MD, Chairwoman of Cleveland Clinic Global Arts and Medicine Institute, months ago, at one of Tamakkan‘s talk on the role of Arts in Medicine. Dr. Iva was on the expert panel along with John Fox, Founder of the Institute of Poetic Medicine, and the beautiful and talented spiritual poet, Bahareh Amidi. At the time, I felt that my hope for alternative methods of increasing one’s health and wellness, chiefly through writing, art and expressive arts, was coming true.

Visitors to the exhibition in the US. Oh! How I wish I were there!

Visitors to the exhibition in the US. Oh! How I wish I were there!

Peering through the glasses of three generations? One of the paintings featured as part of the exhibition

Peering through the glasses of three generations? ‘Reflections’ is one of the paintings featured as part of the exhibition. The Artist is Dana Al Mazrouei

Previously shown at Sotheby’s London, the exhibition features the works of 14 emerging and established Emirati artists and was created with the intent of continuing the efforts to explore the healing effects of music and art in medicine, and more importantly, unite cultures beyond boundaries. H.E. Mrs Hoda I. Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, was quoted as saying, “The ‘Three Generations’ exhibition provides a window into the cultural currents of the UAE through the eyes of some of its established and emerging creative minds. Music and art are able to unite people from different backgrounds through the commonality of emotion & artistic expression – allowing the exchange of ideas, values, traditions and other aspects of culture and identity, whilst help the healing process through changing the state of one’s body and mind. Our partnership with Cleveland Clinic and the global promotion of Emirati art, marks ADMAF’s commitment to cultural diplomacy, the expression of art within unique community spaces and the exploration of the healing power of music and art within healthcare.”

 

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This painting moves me beyond words. It reminds me of days as a child growing up in Abu Dhabi. It reminds me of flying with Gulf Air from the Abu Dhabi Airport as a child. It reminds me of a need for connection across time, space and perhaps even across generations.

The featured works use a range of artistic media that is rooted in tradition while embracing the present and the future. “The intersection of cultures and experiences is where the future of progress happens, in arts as well as medicine,” said Dr. Fattorini.  “Our collaboration with ADMAF has shown the transcultural power of arts in connecting people regardless of where we come from.  Art can take us into new worlds, cultures, and state of mind.”

The paintings line the wall of this long corridor at the Exhibition in the US' Cleveland Clinic's Art Exhibit area.

The paintings line the wall of this long corridor at the Exhibition in the US’ Cleveland Clinic’s Art Exhibit area.

Here are some of my favourite reads on the topic of Arts as Medicine.

Arts in Healthcare: Creativity for the Health of It by by Cathy Malchiodi

Advancing the Arts as Integral to Healthcare – a paper by the society for arts and healthcare

Creative Encounters

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