Papworth Hospital, Cambridgeshire
An experiment working with staff, patients, visitors, aritst, experts and friends at Papworth Hospital to find playful formulae to re insert the Floral into the Hospital environment.
“The Artist in Residence programme for Papworth Hospital is delivered by Wysing Arts Centre and is part of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus Public Art Strategy led by Futurecity on behalf of Cambridge Medipark Limited.”
Sheet and Pillowcase designs 1-21
Portrait Photographs by Marysa Dowling
L wears odd socks although unlike Einstien she does not choose two of the same thickness. She is not a fan of pink preferring bold colours red, deep blue, purple and sometimes black. She is a cat woman her cat pillow is full of lavender the smell is calming.
L&J make fairy lights from empty vials. They always bring stick on hooks and blue tack. Along with the lights sometimes they hang bunting and plug in an air freshener to change the smell. They like all colours especially bright ones. L has floral socks and floral shoes. Their flower of choice is a freesia.
Portrait Photographs by Marysa Dowling of staff members at Papworth
J and I wonder why everything is blue? is it calming or clean? She introduces me to a green machine one of ‘The Birds’ its called albatross. The others two are called Kiwi and Raven. J has named the Heron Scrooge as she fears it may be eating the ducklings. Its important for bedding to be soft in texture. Ideally there would be purple light in her room.
Colouring in books for adults help keep L busy. She likes light patterns, warm colours and cosy textures. She sometimes brings in a digital picture frame with revolving images. The TV is on silent or very low just to give a sense of people and movement. She prefers the rooms at the front as there is more going on outside. From here she can see the colours of the leaves on the trees change.
B told me that where there are apples onsite is where you will find the muntjac’s. He like to walk around the village and grounds. His room has two window he has access to every portal, tablet, kindle, two phone’s and a games console. He brings two pillows for comfort. He takes his daughter to the pond to feed the ducks and argue with the Heron.
R doesn’t like flowers but would be happy with a monster munch bouquet. She would cover the walls with graffiti and glitter. She has her own blanket and pillow.
D is an arrangement of monochrome floral tatoo’s. Japanese cherry blossom, lily’s and a rose each thorn for a fallen friend. We talked about how to make lights with milk bottle’s and glow sticks and made drink bottle and torch lights. On the screen is computer game and music is D’s playing. He likes purple, orange and red but preferably muted black.
For S is all about puzzles and 1920’s mystery’s. She brings a pillow, I-pad and a phone. She prefers her flowers to be outside in her cottage garden. Lupins and Cosmos in deep pinks and whites.
F loves to feel the sun it makes her breathe easier. Her bed linen is often animals or a paisley print. Bright clothing in vibrant pinks lighten her mood. Her plant is her name sake simple but beautiful. She also likes orchids, daisies and sunflowers. F enjoys the lights they put in the tree’s at Christmas time. We wondered what we could do with foil and the fallible water jugs.
L about sews and stitches in her spare time. She has bright purple bed linen its different form the ones she has at home. We talked about how flowers hold memories. Her wedding flowers were sunflowers and yellow roses. L has a special love of admiral butterflies and always brings them with her.
An afternoon with J playing with projectors and lighting gels, using towels, the floor, the blinds, the equipment, the bed and ourselves as screens.
Learning that conkers scare away the spiders and that her favourite flowers are roses, sunflowers, tulips and gladioli preferably in deep pink or blue.
Portrait Photographs by Zoë Maxwell of staff members at Papworth
Floral material gathered from Papworth Hospital Archives and Cambridgeshire Archives
Humans & Flowers images from Papworth Hospital Archives & Cambridgeshire Archives
Flower Girl statue in Papworth grounds.
A Rose and a Smile Cambridgeshire Archives
The Apothecary Papworth Hospital Archives
Formulary Papworth Hospital Archives
THE SATURDAY MUSEUM 