A Map of the People
Vanessa Oliver, Creative Therapist at St Ann's in Little Hulton, tells the story of a new piece of artwork hanging in Daycare
If you have visited the Daycare Lounge at Little Hulton recently, you may have noticed there is a wonderful new painting hanging there, called ‘A Map of the People’.
The painting was produced through the efforts of fifty friends and family members of patients, past and present – and by the patients themselves.
People keep commenting on how bright and positive the painting looks when they arrive in Daycare, which can be one of the wonderful aspects of an artwork – its potential to transform a space and change an atmosphere.
On closer viewing, a painting can also provoke thought and evoke feelings, especially when accompanied by an explanation from the artist(s) surrounding the methods used and the context of the piece.
In this instance, the painting began with a large canvas spread across the floor. People were asked to draw around each other while those lying on the canvas thought about what St Ann’s means to them – perhaps considering their body language and how that might convey their thoughts and feelings. Children took part by adding their choice of colours, and some, their names.
The results represents how hope and action will always be the preferred choice for most people in life.
When you stand back to look at the painting, decide for yourself whether you see triangles, boats or clouds. No matter what you see, you are taking part in our journey – and ultimately that is what matters.
