Healing by Place by Lucia Tkáčová explores how the hospital environment—colors, light, and textiles—can influence the psychological well-being and recovery process of both patients and healthcare staff. As part of the While You Wait project, the artist introduces artistic interventions into the Faculty Hospital in Trenčín, drawing on insights from neuroaesthetics about how beauty and visual stimuli affect the human brain and body. The project thus sees the hospital not only as a place of treatment, but also as a space of comfort, care, and humanity.
An integral part of the project is a temporary artistic installation on the windows of the hospital waiting room. The artist creates colorful “stained-glass” effects using transparent films that transform sunlight into soft, colored rays. The windows become a symbolic interface between the exterior and interior worlds, as well as a source of light, energy, and calm.
The inspiration comes from the millennia-old tradition of stained glass in sacred architecture, where light passing through colored glass helped create a more peaceful and contemplative atmosphere. Similarly, in a hospital setting, colored, diffused light can reduce stress, slow the pace, and foster a sense of safety. The project demonstrates that even a simple change in the visual environment can help make a hospital a more pleasant and humane place for patients, visitors, and medical staff alike.
