S+T+ARTS in the City | Artists-in-Residence | Roel Heremans
+ Challenge
The Value of Care
+ Consortium Partner
+ Problem Statement
While the utilisation of technologies holds the promise of significant transformation within the healthcare sector, such as personalised data-driven treatments, it also presents numerous critical challenges. These challenges encompass a range of concerns pertaining to human-robot interaction, privacy, data ownership and sharing, and concerns about the patient-health care professional relationship. How can we reconcile developments within personalised healthcare with a patient’s individual values? What could be a valuable interplay between technological automation and human interventions?
+ Keywords
Healthcare, Values, Well-being, Multiomics, Automation, Holistic, Human-Centred
+ Description
This residency presents an opportunity for artists to engage in a collaborative endeavour with the Institute Jules Bordet, a comprehensive hospital dedicated to the treatment of cancer patients in Brussels. The aim of this artistic venture is to create an artwork that contributes to or reflects upon the well-being and patient value of cancer patients. Specifically, we encourage artists to develop a digital artwork or application in partnership with the institute, fostering a supportive environment for patients, nurses, doctors, and family members as they navigate the challenges of their diagnosis and treatment. The residency aims to address how we can increase patient wellbeing and cure disease by creating a more equal and equitable relation between patient and health care professionals and understand the patient as an expert of its (chronic) diseased life? The hospital recognises how the personal values (life philosophy, cultural background, priorities) of patients function as a filter through which patients interpret clinical evidence and make treatment decisions. Selected artists will engage in collaboration with the team of psycho-oncologists at the hospital, providing an opportunity to reflect on the patient-healthcare professional relationship and actively contribute to the inclusion of patient values in the development of personalised treatment strategies. The envisioned artwork aims to further support patients in the emotional and psychological aspects of the (chronic) disease, supporting patients in fostering a positive mindset during their treatment trajectory.
+ Artist
Roel Heremans (b. 1990 in Brussels, Belgium. Lives and works between Stockholm and Brussels) is a transdisciplinary artist exploring the nexus of art, ethics, and technology. Through immersive installations and sonorous, philosophical works, Heremans invites visitors to engage with sound , composed introspection and bio data. At the heart of his practice lies a deep commitment to this exploration, making him a vital voice in his field.
+ Residence Project: Resonance of Renewal
Roel Heremans envisions the installation of an audiovisual sculpture at the Jules Bordet Hospital, which specializes in cancer treatment. The project is inspired by the hospital’s architectural aesthetics and aims to create a meaningful addition to the environment. The sculpture is envisioned as a meditative, colorful, organic form hanging from the entrance hall’s ceiling, in contrast to the hospital’s linear design.
The central idea involves integrating data streams into the sculpture. The proposal suggests visualizing scientific studies about cancer, highlighting the progress in cancer research. The question of using patient data for artistic purposes is raised, emphasizing the ethical considerations and the potential use of publicly available data.
+ Video Statement
+ Jury Testimonial
“The synergy between the artist, the hospital, and researchers will lead to a multilayered artwork that will speak to many people. We really appreciated the hopeful message that was the core of the proposal.”
