MONTGOMERY COUNTY OUTPATIENT CENTER
ALEXIS ROCKMAN
CITY/STATE
Rockville, MD
LOCATION IN HOSPITAL
Neurodevelopmental Clinic
INSTALL DATE
2017
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ABOUT THE INSTALLATION
In 2017, RxART collaborated with artist Alexis Rockman on a site-specific project for the Montgomery County Outpatient Center, an extension of the Children’s National Health System. Rockman's project involved creating field drawings of animals and plants native to the area during the Ice Age, using local soil. These drawings were then transformed into nearly 90 life-size vinyl decals, which were strategically installed throughout the center’s neurodevelopmental clinic. As young patients undergo various tests and procedures, they now have the opportunity to engage with these whimsical depictions of animals, while also gaining insights into the natural world of their own community.
This project marked an important milestone for RxART, as it involved the organization’s first clinical study conducted in line with a project. RxART worked with a doctor through the Children’s National Health System who observed a focus group of patients before and after the art was installed. The study examined the impact of the artwork on the children’s behavior by monitoring markers of stress and anxiety, including blood pressure levels and heart rates.
This project was made possible through the generous support of the William E. Weiss Foundation.
ABOUT THE HOSPITAL
A clinic extension of Children’s National Health System, Montgomery County Outpatient Center offers a multidisciplinary approach to care for pediatric patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Alexis Rockman (b. 1962, New York, NY) embarks on expeditions to jungles all over the world, researching species and their natural environment. He incorporates the natural world into his drawings not only as a subject matter but also as his painting materials, creating “mud drawings” with the use of soil from his travels. These works not only depict nature—they truly are nature. Rockman lives and works in New York City.
Rockman’s works can be found in the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA; the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; and the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY. He is represented by Sperone Westwater.
