Nell Gwynne Ward: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
I was commissioned by CW+ to produce a series of site-specific artworks for Nell Gwynne Ward, the Stroke and Neurology rehabilitation ward at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. As artist in residence, I created a bespoke series of corridor wall graphics that span roughly 15m and encompass the entire ward. This commission forms part of CW+ Arts in Health programme, which aims to create healing environments for patients and staff by transforming and enhancing clinical spaces using art and design.
Following consultation with staff and patients, I came up with the concept of a journey around West London for the theme of the artwork. Many of the patients on the ward are from the Chelsea and Kensington catchment areas and so staff felt it would be beneficial to capture familiar places within the artworks. The need to bring nature inside came up time and time again in conversation, and so I chose to make this a focus of many of the pieces.
The illustrations walk the viewer from Portobello road market, through Holland Park and along the Thames path. The corridor spaces that the artworks inhabit are regularly used by occupational therapy staff for movement rehabilitation with patients, and so I designed the illustrations with distinct imagery that could be used as anchor points for patients to aim for during their exercises. Colour palettes were informed by the need to create a calming and healing environment, therefore natural hues feature throughout reflecting themes of water and green spaces.
