Art is Medicine was an art show run curated by IHM in the spring of 2024. It is a collection showcasing the work of five young Indigenous artists from around Ontario. The show was put on in collaboration with the Hamilton Artists Inc. Art is Medicine seeks to highlight the perspectives of Indigenous youth, as they are often at the forefront of Indigenous cultural revitalization. This collection of multidisciplinary works features paintings, photography and traditional beading practices to provide a visual representation of Indigenous Health and Wellbeing. Works showcased in Art is Medicine reflect modern perspectives of Indigenous Health while reinterpreting and redefining what Indigenous Health and ‘Medicine’ can be.
Medicine exists outside of the Western perceptions of health and healthcare, and the themes of Art is Medicine derive from the Anishinaabe teaching of Mino Bimaadziwin (“The Good Path”) and the Cayuga teaching of Ganikwiyo (“Good Mind”.) Bimaadziwin involves living in a way that upholds the 7 grandfather teachings of: love, wisdom, honesty, truth, bravery, humility, and respect. Ganikwiyo encompasses values and principles, such as strength and compassion, that are within us all.
The title Art is Medicine is inspired by the saying “good medicine,” a term often used to explain a multitude of Indigenous teachings and ways of beings. All these teachings instruct us to move though the world with good intentions, respect, and a balanced self. Art is Medicine highlights art as an act of creation, resistance, and ultimately revitalization of a healthy mind, body, and spirit.