In our efforts to cleanse spaces of a virus, we must not cleanse them of color.Įach artwork is dedicated to healthcare workers serving patients at the inflatable hospital. In our desperation to heal the body, we must never forget that the mind also needs care. Patients in these facilities often feel isolated, alone and melancholic. The hours are long, the work is risky and morale is generally very low. Working in COVID-19 facilities is a hard job in a high-stress situation. We hoped that patients and medical workers in the inflatable hospital would find them soothing, uplifting and energizing. Rajit Shah was kind enough to donate funds to print large panels of a selection of these works for the field hospital. We put out an open call for digital art and received hundreds of applicants. Together we started the ‘A Brighter Day’ initiative to bring light into somewhat dark spaces and remind everyone that a brighter day lies ahead. One of my friends owned an art gallery, Method Contemporary Art Space. My colleague Rajit Shah heads a medical company called DIY.health, and he provided crucial support that allowed us to build a rapidly deployable inflatable COVID-19 hospital for patients with cancer and COVID-19.Īrt can have a transformative effect on a space and can bring happiness and hope into many lives. I worked with colleagues and government officials to rapidly design and build these facilities in Mumbai. Our medical facilities were overrun, and we needed to set up field medical centers, testing stations, fever clinics, etc. The months of May through August 2020 were very difficult in Mumbai. Swapneil Parikh is an internist and clinical research fellow in the molecular lab of the Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai, India. Credit: Swapneil Parikh (right panel) and Khushboo Laguri (left panel) Pop-up art in a field hospital photo by Swapneil Parikh Right, interior of a COVID-19 inflatable field hospital with the following art works (from right to left): White Coat Warriors by Parita Shah Not All Heroes Wear Capes by Smish Designs Crossroads of Love by Radhika Sivsankar and Away by Thunder Medusa, courtesy of DIY.health and Method Contemporary Art Space. ![]() Left, Frontline Heroes by Khushboo Laguri, courtesy of DIY.health and Method Contemporary Art Space. This painting now hangs within our department offices as a reminder of our collective experiences. Missing in all these early images was the human factor. I was artistically inspired by the lifeless streets in big capital cities, empty tall haunted buildings and incredible havoc created by a virus that was often depicted paradoxically by vivid colors with precise structures and features. This painting depicts the outsized and overwhelming impact of COVID-19 on our healthcare providers and on our healthcare eco-system in general. It allowed me to reflect on the loss experienced by many and its impact on my peers and come to terms with the fact that the worst was yet to come. Painting this particular piece was extremely cathartic. I had to create something that was wholly different to process this unprecedented historic event. I co-direct our Medical Arts Program along with Joel Howell (Director) and Sanjay Saint (Co-Director) at the University of Michigan.However, COVID-19 changed everything. Complementing my academic interests, I love to paint. I am drawn towards color and paint art that convey happiness that is in my life. ![]() She is also the director of the Center of Research and Innovations in Special Populations (CRIISP), Ann Arbor, MI, USA, and Co-Director of the Medical Arts Program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. Lona Mody is the Amanda Sanford Hickey Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. ![]() Credit: Lona Mody Outsized, Overwhelming Impact of COVID-19 by Lona Mody
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