art
and environment - introduction
Making the building a work of art
“I love this building
to bits. The first time I came here I cried. The patients
loved the old hospital because it had a lot of character,
but you can feel the atmosphere here starting to grow already.”
Sandra Smith, Ward Sister
Healing is not only about remedies and cures;
it’s also about stimulating the mind, body and the senses
so that patients can better heal themselves. Since Glasgow
Homoeopathic Hospital seeks to meet the physical, psychological
and emotional needs of the patients and staff, it was always
the intention that artists should be involved in developing
the overall healing vision.
Lead Artist
From early in the project, the Project Director,
Dr David Reilly had determined there was a need for a Lead
Artist who could collaborate with the Design Team to enhance
the healing environment. To help him in this process Dr David
Reilly sought out Elizabeth McFall of Healthcare Arts in Dundee
to orchestrate the selection procedure. She showed the Design
Team a selection of artists work and from his responses set
up a shortlist of around 50 artist's work. A judging panel
was then set up with David Reilly, Macmon Architects, Anne
Harkness and Jimmy Cosgrove of the Glasgow School of Art.
From the hundreds of images presented
to them over a day, a further shortlist was compiled and the
chosen artists presented their visions for the hospital in
a series of interviews in the inspirational environment of
the Mackintosh Boardroom. Jane Kelly stood out from the moment
she entered carrying a heavy load of bricks, tiles, leaves
and many other materials from which she proceeded to construct
a mosaic of possible ingredients and relationships. Her ability
to move across media, to be at ease both indoors and outdoors,
to work with fine arts, or décor and finishes, coupled
with her capacity to actively listen to people's needs and
hopes and back their vision, made her an enormous asset to
the team.
“The lead artist applied
her creativity to helping us choose everything from wall paint
colour to furniture and fittings. Much later she would also
guide the process of commissioning pieces of ‘art’
in the traditional sense.”
Dr David Reilly
To find out more about the art and environment
of GHH, follow the navigation links on the left or the top
of this page or click here to take
our virtual tour of the hospital.
“Healing is a natural
process, the task of the healer is to facilitate the process.”
Dr David Reilly
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