Co-authored with dr art Melinda Sefcic
Bringing art into the hospital environment reflects the implementation and transfer of positive experience to the community. A work of art, in all its forms, can contribute to a positive effect on the observer, by raising his/her spirit, evoking thoughts, and stimulating emotions. The aestheticization of hospitals with static imagery is slowly becoming commonplace, yet it is still rare to see interactive, animated installations in such environments. Since animation is an omnipresent medium in our surroundings, it is appropriate and timely to implement animated, moving image installations into hospitals, in an attempt to present an innovative approach to enriching the space and to contribute to the general wellbeing of patients and employees. The luminosity of the moving image easily attracts the viewers’ gaze and is suitable to show content that alone may not lead to a faster or more successful recovery of patients, but it certainly decreases stress, eases anxiety and contributes to improving the quality of life in hospitals.
Implementing animation in the hospital environment is not an entirely new practice, although it is still extremely rare in Europe. Prompted by examples of good practices in the US, Australia, and the UK, we aim to introduce The Digital Fauna, a pioneering animated installation in Balkans which will be made for a children’s hospital in Zagreb. The luminosity of an elongated screen features an immersive, black, and white forest, with a myriad of details, among which colorful animals resurface. The interactive forest dematerializes the hospital wall, aiming to aestheticize and re-humanize the space, turning it into a sensory-dynamic playground. The goal of this project is to transform the hospital stay into a more positive and humane experience. Emphasis is placed on artistic improvement, aestheticization, and rehabilitation, which aims to contribute to the therapeutic effect, long-term well-being, and health of children and the entire hospital community.
Presented at Animafest Scanner IX, Zagreb, Croatia, 2022.