BNP Paribas Japan supports “Hospital Art” project, bringing comfort and hope through art to the people in healthcare facilities in Japan

BNP Paribas Group in Japan has joined a heartfelt “Hospital Art” project in partnership with Kei Tanaka, Associate Professor at Tokushima University and artist, Koichi Nishimura, known for his artwork made with masking tapes.

The project named, “Coeur Résonnant”, which translates to “Resonating Heart”, creates colourful and soothing artwork that is donated to the Japanese Red Cross Tokushima Hospital in Tokushima Prefecture, to help soften the often stressful hospital experience. The concept of hospital art is not new; it is already established across the world, particularly in Europe.

Faced with the need to bring awareness around the healing power of art and enhance the skills of artists, Associate Professor Tanaka launched this project in 2018 at the Tokudai Hospital Art Labo. Together with students and teaching staff, they have been designing hospital art since its inception.

“Our goal is to curate fresh, innovative ideas and techniques, taking art to a new level while maintaining our quality of work. Furthermore, we want to bring comfort and love to the people who need art the most by accelerating the dissemination of hospital art,” said Associate Professor Tanaka.

“Coeur Résonnant – Messages Delivered with Masking Tape”

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges, not least to the healthcare heroes. With the lead and support of renowned artist, Koichi Nishimura, hospital volunteers and BNP Paribas employees and their families joined together on 7 August 2021 to create masking-tape artwork in the shape of one big heart which will stand over two meters high. The big heart artwork will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Tokushima Hospital (Komatsushima, Tokushima Prefecture) in autumn this year.

BNP Paribas Group believes that the small things go a long way. By contributing to this unique creation, our employees are taking art to a new level, to a place where it can be of human value and in an environment that will give comfort and hope to the frontline healthcare workers, patients and families.