The walls of the adolescent inpatient psychiatry unit at Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute (PPI) were pale and gray, according to Dr. Elisabeth J. Kunkel, PPI's chief medical officer. To remedy that situation, PPI reached out to the art community to enhance the space by providing a more therapeutic environment. Through a partnership with Lower Dauphin School District, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and two professional artists, they were able to liven up the unit with artwork.
The two professional artists, Linda Billet (glass mosaic) and Beth Krumholz (mixed media), worked with Lower Dauphin students in kindergarten through grade 12 as well as community members to create 13 pieces for the adolescent inpatient psychiatry unit during the 2018-19 school year. The artwork was formally dedicated in 2019.
However, to assure safety on a behavioral health unit, the project team faced several installation challenges. The frames were mounted to the walls using a technique that makes them very difficult to remove using human strength, and the artwork is also covered by acrylic glass. Final installation was completed in 2021.
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