From historical point of view, the art was evaluated to be necessary factor of the hospitals during the middle Ages in Europe [1]. In modern times, since the 1950s, there have been attempts to incorporate art into treatment spaces, especially in Europe [2]. Art in hospital is expected to be beneficial for both patient and staff healthcare [3]. Since 2018, the author has been leading the “Tokushima University Hospital Art Labo (THAL)”, creating hospital art for hospitals in Tokushima Prefecture [4]. The material we use, masking tape, is very suitable for use in hospitals compared to other materials [5]. However, the actual use of masking tape in the creation of hospital art is still limited to a few cases. There was no model to refer to, and we had to invent all the ideas, designs, and use of the tape on our own [6]. There are some limitations for our group, which does not specialize in the practical art.   Consequently, we decided to collaborate with a professional artist who uses masking tape to create large works on the wall. Koichi Nishimura is an artist who uses masking tape to create large hearts on the walls of public institutions, stores, and outdoor facilities [7]. He used a technique similar to that of oil painting, where multiple layers of tape are applied to enhance the three-dimensional and color effects. The coordinator who brought us together with the artists further tried to work with a company. This company, BNP Parisbas group, has been a global financial institution based in France. It has not only provided financial support for our project, but also decided to incorporate it into their social action program and to involve their employees in the creation of our hospital art [8]. We organized an online workshop for employees of a Tokyo-based company and members of a local university to collaborate on the creation of hospital art. Since the employees were teleworking under the Covid-19 pandemic, they participated with their families from their respective homes. The materials used in this workshop were five different types of masking tape and thin film sheets. The author had already devised an efficient method to prepare for art making outside the hospital by combining masking tapes and film sheets [9]. This time we decided to apply this method and have each participant make a heart shape with masking tapes on a 20 cm x 20 cm film sheet. For about 145 participants who gathered online, the artists taught them how to make hearts and gave them advice on their work. In this workshop, a total of about 220 hearts were created (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Various small hearts created in the online workshop.

These hearts that had been sent to us were to be combined into one large heart of 3 meters at the Tokushima Red Cross Hospital [10]. The plan was to invite the artist to Tokushima and have the members of THAL work with him. However, the Covid-19 pandemic situation worsened, and it became impossible to invite artist from Tokyo. We thought about postponing the production, but the hospital was ready to accept us. After consulting with the artists, we decided that we wanted to deliver the hearts that 145 people had created with their thoughts and feelings to the hospital, and that this art might be of some help during these difficult times. We decided that only a limited number of THAL members would create art at the hospital [11]. Yet, it is not possible to create a big 3-meter heart without the artist. Considering the feasibility of the project, we changed the design to create three 130 cm-height hearts, connected by a long heart wave. This plan allowed us to use up all 220 small hearts, and give shape to the concept of the big heart and the small heart echoing each other in the big hearts and a long wave [12]. For three days, from the preparation the day before to the production on site, the artists supervised the entire process online. He gave us detailed instructions on each step of the process: how to apply the tape, how to make the waves, and how to combine the small hearts. He showed us how to make the work with the same precision and passion as if he were actually on the site. He may not have been satisfied with our work as a professional, but the hospital staff and patients were very pleased with our work (Figure 2).

Figure 2: "Cœur résonant" completed, Tokushima Red Cross Hospital.

The title of this work, "Cœur résonant" in French ("Resonant Heart") expresses our aspiring hope. It includes not only the interaction between the hearts for making up the work, but also the interaction between the work and the hearts of the viewers [13]. What can bring the collection of various hearts from 145 creators? It is the new way for the combination of masking tape and thin film sheets. These people were connected online and shared the same feelings to create a work. Furthermore, even in the production for final large work, we could submit people’s feeling to the hospital by using online system. In summary, current approach has opened up new possibilities for many people far away to participate in the creation of hospital art [14]. We hope that this project will encourage more people to take an interest in the people of the hospital and to become actively involved in activities supporting them from outside the hospital.

Conflicts of interest: None.

Funding: None

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