Artwork Fosters Healing at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital demonstrates its commitment to treating the whole person by displaying art installations in its inpatient and outpatient settings. The restorative quality of art reinforces the treatment provided by Burke’s highly trained therapists.

According to Jodi Moise, the Director of The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Medicine, art humanizes the patient experience and supports Burke’s mission by addressing emotional and physical needs. The art program fosters a healing environment in service to patients, visitors, and staff. “Studies show that art, especially pieces that reflect nature or floral themes, promotes health and healing,” she said. “At Burke, we also choose art that incorporates movement to further its rehabilitative mission.”

A recent addition to the Burke campus, entitled Celebrate, is a series of four paintings in the Burke CARES Staff Lounge. Artist Jennifer Glover Riggs experimented with bright and joyful colors to foster an optimistic feeling that brighter days always lie ahead.

Another example, Infusions by artist Jamie Harris, adorns The Bonnie and Tom Grace SCI/Neurorehabilitation Gym. This artwork, spanning 31 feet, creates an atmosphere of encouragement by employing uplifting colors and imagery that projects a sense of motion.

According to Burke’s Vice President of Inpatient Rehabilitation Sandra Alexandrou, PT, MBA, “When someone enters the Bonnie and Tom Grace Gym, especially for the first time, they are immediately captivated by this beautiful piece of art which highly complements this already impressive space.” Alexandrou also noted, “For those individuals receiving therapy in the gym and for the employees, the sense of movement and transition captured by the art communicates the essence of rehabilitation in such a graceful manner and raises the spirits of everyone who spends time in the gym.”

The collections are curated to enhance the unique characteristics of each location. Rachel Hellman’s mural, Light Paths, consists of shifting panes of warm and cool colors that are inspired by Burke’s landscape. Sited in the Outpatient Gym in White Plains, this mural creates a positive environment that encourages patients along their rehabilitative journey. The artwork enriches this newly renovated space outfitted with modern technology.

Burke’s locations throughout Westchester and the Bronx also incorporate art to continue this restorative mission. Moise concluded, “When I curate art for Burke, my hope is for everyone to experience the artwork as they move through our various facilities and that it transforms the experience of their rehabilitation process.”

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Burke Rehabilitation is a not-for-profit healthcare organization devoted solely to acute physical rehabilitation. Its main campus is located in White Plains, NY. Founded in 1915 through an endowment from philanthropist John Masterson Burke, it has been a member of the Montefiore Health System since 2016. Burke operates the only hospital in Westchester County dedicated solely to adult and adolescent rehabilitation medicine. Burke also offers therapeutic care in locations throughout Westchester County, the Hudson Valley, and the Bronx for those who have experienced injuries, surgery, or chronic conditions, from the simple to the very complex. For additional information, please visit www.burke.org.