Why We Love Art: A Latino Perspective

I have often wondered about the following questions about art. Can you fall in love with art? Can art change or reshape our feelings and emotions? Scientists and medical experts argue that art impacts us in many positive ways. Art is capable of conjuring strong emotions and deep thoughts that may have long-lasting influence on our lives.

Priscila De Carvalho, “Mother Birds, 2022.” Courtesy of the University Hospital. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

In a December 2019 New York Times article, “Going to Museums May Be Good for Your Health,” Maria Cramer cited a new British study that found that “simply being exposed to the arts may help people live longer.”

British researchers “also noted that engaging in the arts can reduce loneliness, promote empathy and emotional intelligence, and keep people from becoming sedentary--all factors that contribute to a longer life.”

I thought about the benefits of art when I visited several hospitals in the Medical Arts community of San Antonio over the past year. I was especially impressed with the art additions over the last few years at University Hospital on Medical Drive. Curated by Allison Hays Lane, the paintings and sculptures meet the high standards that we often see in the selection of museum art. The difference is that the hospital is open twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. The number of patients and visitors per day is staggering–thousands daily.

Priscila De Carvalho, “Mother Birds, 2022.” Courtesy of the University Hospital. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

As I visited the University Hospital in San Antonio’s medical center, I was struck by the abundance and variety of art throughout the large building. I had heard from different administrators that viewing art lowered anxiety and depression. Hospital patients and visitors are often worried about health issues, and as they walk down the halls for appointments, art has the ability to reduce tension.

Art provides many benefits to the young and old. The medical providers in our communities are always learning because the field of medicine is constantly changing and improving. Dr. Shirley M. Mueller wrote that “interpreting visual art requires the brain to analyze complex visual stimuli, recognize patterns, and decipher concepts.” Physicians, nurses, and technicians who staff a hospital can gain additional competencies from viewing art which scientists believe bolsters observation skills and analytical thinking.

Priscila De Carvalho, “Mother Birds, 2022.” Outside entrance. Courtesy of the University Hospital. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

Patients and family members visiting hospitals are often overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious. When they see art, the viewing often causes them to think about the colors, perspectives, and settings, and serves as an excellent distraction from pressing health issues. Art researchers inform us that when we look at a new piece of art, it obligates us to look for patterns, shapes, and anything familiar to make us understand our connection to the piece. I had that exact feeling when I saw Priscila De Carvalho’s glass structure “Mother Birds, 2022” at San Antonio’s University Hospital recently.

Bruno Andrade, Courtesy of The Art Museum of South Texas. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

“Mother Birds, 2022,” located in the hospital’s main entrance, is a brilliant glass structure that the artist says symbolizes both motherhood and female birds along with concepts of healing, power, growth, and continuity. The artist explained that birds flow between trees and sit on branches, suggesting comfort, care, and protection between a mother and child. This piece, according to Carvalho, “celebrates the bond between mothers and babies, while honoring the connections forged during the pandemic and other dark times.”

Jose Antonio Aguirre. “Essence of Healing. [Glass mosaic, 9x 5 feet]. Courtesy of University Health System. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

Jose Antonio Aguirre, a native of Mexico City and resident of Pasadena, California, came to San Antonio in 2014 and completed one of the first commissioned art pieces for the University Hospital. Aguirre commented, “Healing has a mysterious quality that has always intrigued me.” He added that the purpose of his mosaic piece was to encapsulate the experience of mural making as a collaborative effort between the artist and the participating community as an expression of feelings that manifest an appreciation of the healing process. He asked physicians, nurses, and staff members of University Hospital to join him in creating his glass mosaic which extends 9 feet x 5 feet. More than 200 University Health System staff members joined the effort and helped him complete the 5,000 piece mosaic art piece during the artist’s two-week residency.

Vicente Telles. “San Isidro.” [ San Isidro is considered the patron saint of farmers and rural communities]. Collection of Harriett and Ricardo Romo.

This summer Harriett and I traveled to Santa Fe to join 70,000 art lovers at the famed Spanish Market. The Santa Fe art market provides opportunities for artists to present their work to a broad audience and provides the support and recognition that encourages artists to continue New Mexican art traditions across generations. We bought an art piece, “San Isidor” by Vicente Telles. Telles is an award-winning Santero retablo painter and a highly talented portrait painter from the South Valley of Albuquerque. San Isidro is the patron saint of rural communities and farmers. Retablos are revered by New Mexicans as a means of preserving Hispanic culture and a way to add beauty to the home.

Angel Rodriguez-Diaz, “El West Side de San Antonio.” Courtesy of the Guadalupe Cultural Center. Photo by Ricardo Romo.

In many Latino homes, fine art, religious images, or folk art are lovingly displayed. A University of London study showed that when a person looks at a piece of art they see as beautiful, there is an instantaneous release into the brain of dopamine, a chemical that is linked to feelings of love. Dr. Shirley M. Mueller has written that even memory can be improved when engaging with art. She explained that “recalling historical context, personal experiences, or specific details about the artwork exercises the brain's memory functions.”

Celia Munoz Alvarez. Courtesy of the El Paso Museum of Art. Photo by Ricardo Romo

Dr. Mueller concluded that art appreciation extends beyond aesthetic enjoyment significantly impacting brain function and mental health. Art appreciation emerges as a valuable tool for fostering mental well-being and cognitive resilience through cognitive enhancement, stress reduction, memory improvement, and social connectivity.

Thus, during stressful times and as a way to find calm, peace, and good health in 2025, visit an art museum, gaze thoughtfully at the beautiful murals and public art in San Antonio, add art to your home or workplace, or create art with children, family or friends.