Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre

Everything had been renovated at the Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre, from floor to ceiling—but nothing had been planned for the walls. So it was the Art for Healing Foundation’s task to enliven the seven floors with works of art.

This project transformed the previously identical floors into distinctive galleries. Residents can stroll through them and experience 1,150 works in various styles. This walk gives them a chance to stretch their legs and enhances their enjoyment of life inside the centre, as their condition or disability limits their outings.

On the fifth floor, thirteen Joseph Prezament paintings make up a themed gallery in honour of the late Canadian artist, originally from Manitoba. A commercial artist by day, he devoted himself to painting in his spare time, an activity that was undoubtedly his true calling. He studied at the Winnipeg School of Art with LeMoine Fitzgerald, a Group of Seven artist who sparked Prezament’s interest in pointillism. After moving to Montreal, he continued his training under Arthur Lismer and Goodridge Roberts at the Montreal Art Association and Alfred Pinsky and Ghitta Caiserman-Roth at the Montreal Artists’ School. 

In the gallery, Prezament’s paintings reveal places in Montreal with all pointillism’s rich colours and dynamism. They exude comfort, nostalgia and a gentle joie de vivre. The artist’s widow Rita Briansky donated the gallery’s works to the Donald Berman Maimonides Geriatric Centre. 

Also a painter, Briansky has had an illustrious career, particularly in Canada. Of Polish origin, she flourished amongst the Jewish Painters of Montreal, an artistic community in the 1930s and 1940s. Her mere presence in this predominantly male group reflects her determination and avant-gardism. Her strength of spirit can be felt in the vibrancy of the paintings, which are also exhibited in the centre. These works depict everyday life’s beauty in a colourful singularity far from classicism. 

Other scenes of daily life were brought into the centre, including those of Canadian Anita Ein Shapiro. Her landscapes and views of Montreal convey a lightness yet don’t lack in realism and sensuality. Admiring her colourful paintings, residents can almost feel the sun’s warmth or the coolness of water. These modest scenes provide them with a breath of fresh air and an escape.

Since the galleries’ inauguration, the centre has experienced more traffic in its hallways, even drawing people in wheelchairs or using walkers. Such extraordinary moments show art’s power to bring people together and promote their well-being.

The collection also includes artists Jack Beder, Alexandre Bercovitch, Steve Driscoll, Stanley Lewis, Moe Reinblatt, Sam Shuter, Lynda Schneider Granatstein and Michael Smith. The approximately 1,150 artworks form one of the largest collections that the Foundation has ever curated.

The Art for Healing Foundation has been a beacon of hope for our long-term care centres. Their gift of original art has transformed our environment, infusing it with healing and comfort. The power of art to make a difference cannot be overstated. We are immensely grateful for their contribution and the positive impact it has had on our residents, families and staff. Thank you, Art for Healing Foundation, for bringing light and solace by transforming the walls of our centres. Art heals. Art comforts. Art takes away pain. Art makes a difference. Thank you so much … always!!!