At the intersection of art, science and community engagement, the AGH’s Art of Creation strives to inform the public about the health needs of pregnant people in Hamilton
The Art of Creation is a research and community outreach project that strives to communicate early origin science to Hamilton’s community through artistic engagement.
Jordan Chin, project coordinator at the Art of Creation and a student in McMaster University’s master of public health program, defined early origin science as the field of research investigating how a fetus’s environment in the womb impacts their health and their risk factor for diseases later in life.
Chin works along Deb Sloboda, the associate chair research in McMaster’s department of biochemistry and biomedical sciences, who also leads the Art of Creation study.
Sloboda explained that when she first began her PhD early origin science was an incredibly new field. Even though the field is much more established now, the public is still largely unaware of early origin science and its importance in health.
“When we think about interventions or community-based health, we entirely think about [questions like]: How much physical activity are we doing? How can we get populations exercising? How can we make sure that kids understand good eating habits? All [of these are] extremely important, but one thing we don't do is think about how can we support pregnant individuals,” explained Sloboda.
When we think about interventions or community-based health, we entirely think about [questions like]: How much physical activity are we doing? How can we get populations exercising? How can we make sure that kids understand good eating habits? All [of these are] extremely important, but one thing we don't do is think about how can we support pregnant individuals.
Deb Sloboda, associate chair research in McMaster’s department of biochemistry and biomedical sciences and lead on the Art of Creation study
The Art of Creation began as a response to this lack of awareness and attention on early origin science.
“We came up with the idea of using an arts-based approach and going to cultural institutions, like an art gallery, rather than public health or public health administration [and] rather than creating more infographics and flyers that people are going to read at the doctor’s office,” said Sloboda.
Sloboda and Chin both explained that cultural institutions, such as museums, libraries and art galleries, are valuable resources for connecting with the community and are perhaps underutilized avenues for community education. They also emphasized that arts-based community outreach is uniquely engaging and uniquely accessible.
“You don't have to be able to understand, for example, the English language, to look at [a piece of art] and understand it and be emotionally attached to it,” said Sloboda.
You don't have to be able to understand, for example, the English language, to look at [a piece of art] and understand it and be emotionally attached to it.
Deb Sloboda, associate chair research in McMaster’s department of biochemistry and biomedical sciences and lead on the Art of Creation study
Chin explained that the Art of Creation has facilitated multiple arts-based outreach programs, including arts-based support groups for pregnant people and a program in which artists visited an early origin science lab and then created science-informed art.
Currently, the Art of Creation exhibition is being hosted at the Fischer Gallery in the Art Gallery of Hamilton. This is the exhibition’s first stop in Hamilton, but it will not be its last.
“The exhibition starts at the Fischer Gallery, and then we're hoping to move it to community organizations next year so that we can reach populations [who might not] wander into the Art Gallery of Hamilton. It'll end in the McMaster Museum of Art in January 2025,” explained Sloboda.
The Art of Creation Exhibition is completely free to view. The AGH is free to students, Sloboda explained, but the Fischer Gallery in particular is also completely free to the public, allowing anyone to enter it and view the exhibition.
The Art of Creation Exhibition opened at the AGH on Sept. 14 and it will run until Nov. 30. After this, Sloboda and Chin plan for it to move around in the community, reaching as many populations as possible.
