HEALING POWER OF ART

Artists: Nicole Majer (Germany) Saša Makarová (Austria-Slovakia) Masumi Igarashi (Japan_Germany) Hanne Laland (Norway) Natalja Nouri (Latvia-Germany)

Viewing art and being involved in art have healing powers. It is basically derived from arts therapy, which includes other creative therapies such as drama therapy and music therapy. Back in literature the most famous version of arts therapy is depicted in One Thousand and One Nights where storytelling saves Shahrazad (Scheherazade) and heals King Shahryar. In a more limited sense, art has the same effect through empathy.

The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as: “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” Especially at this turbulent time, art can help us to stay in a balance of mind.

The works by  Nicole Majer (Germany), Saša Makarová (Austria-Slovakia), Masumi Igarashi (Japan_Germany), Hanne Laland (Norway), and Natalja Nouri (Latvia-Germany) represent different forms of visual art where the viewers can empathize with.