Medicine Men / The Art of Health

In collaboration with the World Health Organization, this dialogue brought together physician-artists and curators to explore the healing power of art as a driver for improved health, education and social justice. The discussion was moderated by WHO’s Arts & Health Lead, Christopher Bailey, with panelists, Chip Thomas, aka Jetsonorama, Artist-Physician based on the Navajo Nation and Founder of The Painted Desert Project; Kōan Jeff Baysa, Curator Physician and Founder of Honolulu Biennial Foundation, Director of iBiennale, and Co-Founder of Joshua Treenial; and Ahmed Mater, Artist-Physician based in Riyadh and Founder of Pharan Studio and Co-Founder of Edge of Arabia. Following the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, the discussion was framed within the dual crisis of a global pandemic and a climate emergency. The panelists shared their journeys from Medicine to Art, and explored the values of service, healing and collectivism that have guided their practice. From the Mountains of Southern Arabia, to the deserts of the Navajo Nation, to the hectic glamour of the international art world, the panel discussed how art can play a role in healing individuals, communities and societies both now and in the future. This dialogue features the perspectives of Medicine Men and TFIU acknowledges the views of Medicine Women were not included in this panel discussion. The one-hour discussion was followed by a public Q&A and video about Chip Thomas’ The Painted Desert project produced by KQED Arts, San Francisco.