Is that a Van Gogh near your workstation?

Art in the office

Beautiful paintings and exquisitely carved sculptures can soothe the careworn spirit. At least that is what corporate organisations and hospitals have come to believe going by their investment in art.

Dr P R Aryan, director and founder of Aryan Hospital, Gurgaon, points out that Delhi & NCR is growing as a medical tourism hub and ascribes the trend of ‘positive art’ to attempts made by organisations to establish a global image while creating an environment of optimism and cheer.

“Hospitals are making huge investments in art. This is not only about making people (read patients) feel good but also about building faith in the hospital,” he says.
Behavioural scientists say that bright paintings create a comfort zone.

According to them, scenes from nature, flowers and people displaying with happy emotions play a key role in creating a healing environment. Landscapes, scenes of everyday life, portraits and abstract work are the types of artwork that hospitals and offices are choosing to display on their walls.

Ankit Prasad, CEO of Touchtalent, an online gallery, says: “Art, when properly selected and placed, has the strength to calm viewers. It delights them day after day. It can help them stay positive. It also reduces stress and anxiety, and increases trust and confidence.”

Metropolitan cities are the biggest buyers of art for their offices. But tier I and tier II cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Kochi and Ahmedabad do not lag behind.

Udit Mittal, MD of Unison International, says the right kind of art helps to boost positive energy in the office. “It communicates what you do and makes visitors feel relaxed,” he observes.

“Employees spend 9-12 hours in the office. It’s important to make their environment positive and productive. Colour and texture are important while choosing art. We have a lot of art in our office and most of it is the choice of our staff,” he adds.