The transformative power of music to unlock memories in people with cognitive impairment is a cornerstone of the work of the Fondation EME. Since 2021, arts facilitator Jenny Spielmann has been showing how these effects can be further enhanced when combined with other sensory triggers like visual stimuli and touch in “Meet me at the museum”.
This multisensory project, inspired by similar initiatives abroad for Alzheimer’s patients, is hosted at the City’s Villa Vauban art museum. Here groups of senior citizens from all over the country are taken on a tour of selected works from the permanent exhibition, accompanied by a private concert.
Each painting is book-ended with a piece of music, from playful tunes such as Vivaldi’s “Summer second part” to Jean-Marie Leclair’s “Sonatas for two violins”. Performed by Attila Keresztesi (Hungary) and Andrii Chugai (Ukraine), two OPL violinists who make up Duo A + A, the live music creates a magical immersive atmosphere.
Between performances, Jenny engages with participants, speaking clearly and slowly as she shows the selected still life paintings. “What do you see?” she asks and patiently guides the participants through the different items pictured. Then comes a breakthrough. “What is this?” Jenny asks showing a printout of a parrot’s colourful plumage, from Reynaud Levieux’s “Fruit, parrot, dogs and squirrel”. There then follows an animated discussion about parrots as three different people share stories of owning a parrot or having neighbours who owned one.
The energetic presenter explains that what works best are paintings containing “objects that they know well, have or had in their homes, places they might have been, people they might know.”
She says: “It’s important that the pictures are big enough to look at--a very small picture might be very interesting, but it’s not possible for them to see what’s going on in the painting.”
Jenny adds that having sufficient space for wheelchairs or to seat people is also an important consideration in the which paintings to present.
Normally, visitors are not permitted to touch exhibitions but with the help of designer Lucie Majerus, participants are encouraged to compose their own still life tableau from objects set out for them, which is then photographed. “They are used to setting up a table because it’s something they do in their own homes,” says Lucie. The items, which include a coffee grinder, nuts, grapes and pineapple, offer sensory nudges. For instance, “The coffee grinder might bring back the smell of coffee,” Lucie points out.
The interactive still life tours were the second cycle of “Meet me at the museum” coordinated by Jenny, after her water-themed visit in the summer of 2021.
Credits:
Sébastien Grébille