Sabine Beitzke
Whitechapel Market and Where Do Bananas Live?, 2023
Vinyl wallpaper, Gouache, Acrylic & Coloured Pencil on paper
Paediatric Dermatology, Royal London Hospital
Illustrator Sabine Beitzke was commissioned to create two site-specific artworks for the ‘Minor Surgery 2′ & ‘Assessment 4’ rooms in the Dermatology department at the Royal London Hospital. The rooms are used by both adult and young patients, but sit within the main adult dermatology floors, which has made young patients more anxious, fearful and confused when attending for their appointments. Beitzke was asked to create artworks that would intrigue and reassure young patients. The two works have been designed together but work independently of each other and are connected by framed drawings installed in the corridor.
In Minor Surgery there is Where do Bananas Live?, a portal-like and vibrant fictional landscape, depicting fields of fruits and vegetables being grown. Originally hand-drawn by the artist and translated into vinyl, the work is designed to be a calming escape, with an array of hidden details provides positive distraction to help reduce anxiety during treatment.
Framed drawings of oversized fruits and vegetables, on route to Whitechapel market via boat and van, add a playful, imaginative journey between the rooms.
Assessment Room 4 features Whitechapel Market, a full wall-length scene depicting the destination of the fruits and vegetables: the stalls along Whitechapel High Street. Elements of this scene will be familiar to many patients, providing comfort, conversation topics and a sense of connection, to those young people being prepared for treatments.
About the artist
Sabine Beitzke is an artist and illustrator who divides her time between rural Germany and London. With degrees in Sustainable Design and Illustration, this is Beitzke’s second commission for Vital Arts. Selected clients and commissions include Mighty Kind Kids Magazine, The Caterpillar Magazine, Stew Magazine, Rewild Flowers London.
This commission was kindly funded by the Friends of the Royal London Hospital.
‘I hope to make a positive contribution to the patient experience, creating a sense of comforting light-heartedness and playfulness to combat possible feelings of worry or anxiety.’
Sabine Beitzke
