PICTURES WITH PURPOSE
–TUT lecturer’s landscape photographs boost morale in psychiatric hospital
The use of colour landscape photographs in mental healthcare institutions can significantly uplift
the spirits of people working in these stressful environments. This is one of the preliminary
findings of a most interesting research project of Waldemar Bussiahn, a lecturer at the Tshwane
University of Technology’s Department of Visual Communication (Photography).
During the first phase of his research, Waldemar changed the physical environment of Ward 1
(Children’s Ward) of the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria by putting up several of his
own colour landscape photographs in different areas of the ward. The approximately 24 staff
members working in the ward were exposed to the images over time and their feedback with
regards to the images’ presentation modes and content was tapped.
Based on the feedback, certain changes to the photographs used during phase one were
effected and staff member’s response to it tapped, once again. This time around, the images
also included some captured by Henk Venter, an alumnus of TUT’s Department of Visual
Communication (Photography) and currently a lecturer at the Stellenbosch Academy of Arts and
Design.
“The anecdotal feedback of staff working in Ward 1 was very positive,” says Waldemar. The
sizes of the images made me feel special since effort was made to beautify my workplace; and
Parents don’t mind coming earlier or waiting longer since the place is so beautiful, were some of
the responses. “The matron also mentioned that after the removal of the images used during the
first phase, all staff were depressed,” says Waldemar. “Staff visiting from other wards wanted to
know when their wards were also going to be beautified,” he adds.
The images, valued at R130 000, are now a permanent fixture in the ward.
“Using similar images in other stressful environments will most probably have the same effect,”
Waldemar says.
As part of the research, he is currently looking into why people attach a certain emotion to a
particular image.
“The research has affected me both personally and professionally. Seeing the children being
treated at the hospital made me extremely grateful for who I am and for the special people
caring for them. It also confirmed the power of the photographic image, in particular, that of
landscape images.”
The research will culminate in Waldemar’s D Tech degree titled Colour landscape photography
as tools for wellness creation in health-care providers in a psychiatric environment. His study
leaders are Prof Allan Munro of TUT’s Faculty of the Arts and Drs Braam Hoffmann and Heidi
Saayman-Hattingh, lecturer at TUT’s Faculty of Science and Post-Doctoral Fellow at TUT’s
Faculty of the Arts, respectively.
The images will officially be handed over to the Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital this
month. You are cordially invited to the event.
DATE:
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
TIME:
08:30 for 09:00 – 10:00
VENUE: Weskoppies Pshychiatric Hospital, Ward 1
RSVP:
Irene Botes at [email protected] by 26 August 2011
PHOTO CAPTION:
THE POWER OF PICTURES
One of the images that Waldemar Bussiahn, a lecturer at the Tshwane University of
Technology’s Department of Visual Communication (Photography), put up in Ward 1 of the
Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.