Medical Student Art Celebrates and Honors Chinese Traditions
The Center Stage Arts in Health Community Gallery presents work by Penn State College of Medicine Medical Student Harmony Zimmerman this fall. This series features gel pen on paper based on her take of a one-word prompt each day in the month of October. The prompts come from Inktober, an art challenge that artists worldwide can use to unify and draw something a little out of their comfort zones.
For the art challenge, Harmony employed a theme of “Chinese Tradition.” China’s rich cultural history and background was an obvious choice for Harmony, having spent most of her formative years growing up in China, where she considers home. “This theme permeates not just this series, but also several of my other works. I still carry a heart for China and her people,” she says.
Harmony moved to China at age 6 with her family who participated in medical mission work. She resided there until she returned to the U.S. for college. She attended public Chinese school for 7 years, and also joined a Chinese church. “I was fully immersed in the local experience, much more so than most other expat kids. Seeing the work my parents put into learning a whole new language, to ‘do as the Chinese do’ per se, was inspirational to me. I received my education in this country and that experience still inspires me now as I seek to learn the literal and metaphorical languages and cultures of my future patients,” she says.
Center Stage Director Claire de Boer says, “At Penn State Health we put art to work. We ascribe to the vision that art in a healthcare setting is not decorative but rather a narrative, supportive and even a diverse educational experience.”
Harmony agrees. “It’s special to have my art displayed, especially given its theme. I have had other pieces displayed or published before, but always in an artsy, light setting. It seems different now that the display is within the walls of a hospital. It’s weightier given the setting. Most people in a hospital do not want to be there. They battle anxiety, unknowns of the future, and loneliness, among other troubles. In such settings especially, art can serve as an escape and a comfort.”
Harmony’s hope for this exhibit is twofold, “I hope that I hope it promotes awareness of and appreciation for China and Chinese culture for those who have never experienced or thought about its importance. I hope it can be a conversation sparker, and that more people can come to care about what I love. Secondly, I hope that it would serve as a familiar piece of home for those who might feel lost or overlooked,” she says.
Interested in displaying your artwork in the Community Gallery? Contact centerstage@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.