Paintings in Hospitals, the Arts Health Early Career Research Network, and King’s College London Health & Humanities Society are inviting symposium papers that offer different perspectives on visual representation of landscape and wellbeing.

The full-day symposium, a first for Paintings in Hospitals, will coincide with the launch of our upcoming touring exhibition Rooted in the Landscape. Featuring selected works from the Arts Council Collection, Rooted in the Landscape will tour hospitals across South West England. The exhibition will include works by Andy Goldsworthy, Marc Quinn, Howard Hodgkin, Keith Vaughan, Barry Flanagan, and Janice Kerbel. The exhibition is specifically designed for healthcare settings and to enhance patients’ access to art normally only available by visiting major art galleries and museums.

The pictorial representation of the landscape has long played a significant role in the history of art. Its positive impact on wellbeing is presumed as many art collections in hospitals hold large numbers of artworks that represent the landscape. Indeed, much of the history of landscape architecture can be traced back to the need to create places that were beneficial to people’s health and wellbeing. But can an image of landscape in a healthcare environment have a positive influence on the healing process?

Submitted symposium papers (of no more than 20 minutes presentation time) may be in the form of case studies, questions, issues or challenges. We also welcome papers that focus on landscape artists and paintings, and those that deal with lesser-known projects or lesser-known care sites, as well as those that investigate the topic in relation to drawing, printmaking, photography, film and television.

For full details on themes of interest, download the Call for Papers document below:

• Rooted in the Landscape: Call for Papers

Please send presentation proposals of 300 words maximum, together with a short biographical note (co-presented papers are welcome) of 100 words max. to [email protected] (subject line: Rooted in the Landscape: Paper Proposal).

The final date for submissions is Wednesday 02 May 2018. The date of the symposium is Wednesday 06 June, during Creativity & Wellbeing Week 2018.