Fiona Curran, Jaime Gili, Sophie Smallhorn, Bob and Roberta Smith
Vital Arts recently commissioned artists Fiona Curran, Jaime Gili, Sophie Smallhorn and Bob and Roberta Smith to create new art works for the Health and Wellness Centre at Royal London Hospital.
Bob and Roberta Smith , The Department of Ogolothinry (or Department of Ornithology), 2009
Series of 40 works, sign writer’s enamel on wood, bird spotting guide books and shelf
Devised as a joyful puzzle for visitors to disentangle, this playful work invites a spot of “bird” spotting. Scattered throughout the building are several colourful word paintings which each feature the scrambled name of a well known bird. With the aid of an ornithological guide located in the waiting area, visitors can identify actual bird names. This work, intended to provide momentary escape and distraction, is inspired by Bob and Roberta Smith’s love of the country and the therapeutic value of engaging with nature. A limited edition print 'Bird Search' is available for purchase, please see our shop for details.
Jaime Gili, Health. Safety. Signs, 2009
Spray-painted aluminium panels
Dominating the stairwell is Gili’s bold and vibrant piece an explosion of green, yellow, red and black. Rising from the ground floor, the work climbs up the building, invading surfaces on the stairwell. The sharp geometric angles and reflective surfaces in Gili’s work reveal his interest in cities and modernist architecture, including the soaring buildings of the new Royal London Hospital nearby.
Sophie Smallhorn, Piece 8, 2009
Polyurethane board, acrylic paint, aluminium
Smallhorn’s wall-mounted sculpture spans across two walls of the main reception area. Cubes of pure colour are methodically arranged in linear rows that fold around the reception desk. Subtle changes within the artwork palette of colours, from dark to light, create a sense movement that animates the space, echoing the passage of time and the play of light and shadow from the windows. Smallhorn is concerned with the psychological effects of colour; for the Centre she sought to create a serene and meditative atmosphere for visitors waiting for appointments.
Fiona Curran, The World Seen from Inside, 2099
Painted mdf panels and veneer
Curran responded to the particular architecture of the Centre, choosing to work with the original 18th century section of the building, which still retains traces of its former use as a family home. Despite modernisation, the rooms preserve an intimacy with uneven walls, original sash windows and the suggestion of the Georgian fireplace mantelpieces which were removed. The shapes in The World Seen from Inside are derived from a process of folding forms, building up planes of colour through collage. This method embodies a sense of layering that seeks to mimic the historical changes within the space of the Centre itself.
