Emma Febvre-Richards
Associate Professor, Whiti o Rehua School of Art
- +64 (0)4 801 5799 ext 63510
- e.r.febvre-richards@massey.ac.nz
- http://www.emmafebvre-richards.com/
Emma Febvre-Richards is an artist researcher passionate about 'drawing is thinking' and its potential for cognitive health and wellbeing. In 2016 she co-founded Drawing Open, a transdisciplinary drawing research community exploring drawing as inquiry across art, science, design, and environmental research.
MeDArT (Science, drawing and technology), established in 2018, explores how art, science, and technology intersect to advance cognitive health. Key projects include Draw Me an Odour, exploring correlations between smell, colour, and gesture with University Côte d'Azur and International Museum of Perfume, engaging over 6,000 participants across France and Aotearoa.
MindArt emerged as the flagship project. Originally an eight-week nature-based sensorial drawing programme for people with dementia and supporters, MindArt demonstrated remarkable success through six clinical trials involving 120 participants, with 96% actively engaging for 1.5 hours while experiencing significant stress reduction. Research collaborators include L'Institut Claude Pompidou France, CoBTeK at Université Côte d'Azur, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury, University of Auckland, and Dementia Wellington.
The programme has broadened beyond dementia to encompass wider neurological conditions, including stroke survivors. Emma has gained global recognition with MindArt deployed in French hospitals during COVID-19 to reduce nursing staff stress.
In 2025 Emma was awarded the Chevalier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a prestigious French national honour recognizing significant contributions to arts, literature, and culture worldwide.