Visiting an art gallery can be an eye-opening and richly rewarding experience that introduces people to new works of art and new ways of looking at the world. You might have a favourite painting or sculpture, or enjoy making your own art. Recently, scientists discovered that not only is art enjoyable, it's also good for your health. In the study, 25 people viewed original artwork at the Courtauld Gallery in London, while the other 25 looked at copies of the same paintings, but not at a gallery. The results showed that the people who saw the paintings in the art gallery had lower stress levels and their immune system was boosted, among other benefits. If art has such positive benefits on people, then should doctors prescribe trips to art galleries?
Yes – art is good for both mind and body This new research is exciting and shouldn't be ignored. It is the first study of its kind to show that art has a calming effect on the body and mind, and can reduce stress. However, not everyone will have heard the news. Therefore doctors should advise their patients to visit art galleries – why wouldn't they? There can be many remedies and solutions to complex health problems and this might just be one of them, so it's worth trying. Nobody is saying that visiting art galleries will replace medicine or cure an illness, but it could work alongside medicine to make someone feel better. What's more, it might introduce more people to the joys of art – and help them support their local galleries at the same time.
No – art is not the same as medicine It's worth pointing out that the study only involved 50 people aged between 18 and 40 in the UK. That's quite a small number, so it's hard to tell whether viewing art would have this effect on everyone, or just some people. Besides, even if visiting art galleries does benefit people's health in some way, doctors should focus on doing what they do best: giving high-quality medical care and advice to their patients, not talking about art. What's more, not everyone likes visiting art galleries, and that's ok. Art galleries can be busy, some are expensive and some people may not have the time to go. Not everyone has easy access to an art gallery. It's much better to focus on keeping fit and healthy by eating well and staying active.
