SC Connecticut News

On May 14, 2024, Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) Assistant Professor of Child Psychiatry Ayotunde Ayobello, MD delivered a special Grand Rounds lecture, part of the center’s Max Ritvo ’13 and Alan B. Slifka ’51 Program for the Medical Humanities. Following this session, in which he outlined his journey as an artist and a psychiatrist, his 6x4 foot oil painting titled “Heritage and Legacy" was officially unveiled.

The Heritage and Legacy Project was structured around the creation of the painting, depicting 15 YCSC trainees and painted between February 2020 and December 2022. Each studio sitting lasted approximately four hours and included an in-depth interview that was recorded and transcribed for qualitative analysis. The individuals included in the painting represented different professional disciplines including child psychiatry, psychology, and social work.

For the Grand Rounds session leading up to the unveiling of the painting, which now resides in the entryway of the third level of the Nelson Irving Harris Building (230 South Frontage Road in New Haven), Ayobello discussed the unique methodology of using a collective oil portrait as the basis for a qualitative study using narrative inquiry. He also addressed the impact of "before me" (Heritage) and "after me" (Legacy) on child mental health trainees, along with advancements at the intersection of visual arts and psychiatry.

Andrés Martin, MD, PhD, who serves as the Riva Ariella Ritvo Professor at the YCSC as well as a professor of psychiatry, provided opening remarks for the session. He noted that “Today's is a truly special grand rounds, and I don't say that lightly.” He shared that this was the fifth lecture established in memory of Max Ritvo and Alan B. Slifka and noted that to date there had not been a focus on paint as a medium: “…but that's where we're going to go today. Today’s speaker is a gentle giant. We still fondly talk about him in the inpatient unit as a child whisperer because in his bigness he was so good with kids, so gentle and so wonderful…”

When Ayobello took the podium, he shared: “I am incredibly excited to share this journey with you,” beginning with images of his birthplace and childhood home in Nigeria. He discussed his love of reading that led to a love of learning about art. This had a significant impact on him even before he was later able to see some incredible paintings in person while exploring some mental health challenges faced by many artists he read about.

“I continued to explore this intersection of visual arts and wellness,” he said. “I realized that art doesn't cause you to have mental health issues. Art can be a therapeutic solution...a soothing pathway to dealing with mental health issues...as a means of catharsis.”

Ayobello modeled his early work after famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh and Edward Munch. One such painting was completed during a particularly difficult time following a car accident among other struggles; he found solace through art during these times.

In addition to being both a child psychiatrist and visual artist today, Ayobello emphasized how psychiatry chose him during his exploration of arts' connection with mental health.

A culminating paper developed from this project was published under “Narratives of heritage and legacy: Child and adolescent mental health trainees portrayed” in Frontiers in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry using narrative inquiry for analysis—attending unique stories making meaning out life experiences.

The Max Ritvo ‘13 & Alan B Slifka ‘51 Program aims improving clinical experience those affected by illness strengthening providers’ compassionate care abilities includes guest speakers visiting scholars special lectures each spring exploring interface between arts/child/adolescent mental health multidisciplinary program.