Art in Hospitals

When it’s not the main game: Art in hospitals Susan Barclay A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Western Sydney College of Arts, School of Humanities and Languages January 2015 Susan Barclay – University of Western Sydney The work presented in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original except as acknowledged in the text. I hereby declare that I have not submitted this material, either in full or in part, for a degree at this or any other institution. ………………………………………………………………….. Susan Barclay 1 Acknowledgments My sincere gratitude to the wonderful Carol Liston for her perseverance and dedication in guiding me towards the completion of this thesis. Thank you also to Pamela James for suggesting such a project was possible and providing the opportunity to be involved in the Westmead cataloguing internship. To my wonderful understanding children, Charlotte and Henry, father John, sister Catherine and her family Matt, Oliver and Xavier, all of whom have been forced to live and breathe this project for the last five years. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your sustained support and patience. A special thanks to my friends, for understanding and still staying in contact during my long periods of absence. I promise we shall catch up for some very long lunches. The School of Humanities and Communications Arts, University of Western Sydney, for giving me the practical tools to complete this project and guidance from a number of key staff members, including Dianne Dickenson, David McInnes and Karen Entwistle. A special thank- you to colleagues Rowan Day and Evan Smith for hundreds of revitalising coffee breaks, making me smile and helping me to sustain the drive needed to finish this project. A special thank you also must go to Jacinta Bender for her patience and understanding. My sincere gratitude to the under paid group of Arts in Health professionals, who gave up their precious time to answer my numerous questions and show me the wonderful work they do on a daily basis. Including the exuberant Sally Francis from Flinders Medical Centre, Diane Brown from Rx Art, Stuart Davies from Paintings in Hospitals, Brian Chapman from LIME, Kate Omerod at St Bartholomew’s, Anna Mathams from Chelsea and Westminster, Jane Willis from Willis Newson, the arts team at Guy and St Thomas Hospital Trust, staff at Westmead Hospital including the now retired Adrian Bright. Dr. H J Baron and his wife, for looking after me in New York and sharing his passion for art in hospitals, and Gregory Mink from HHC New York for showing me the real side of hospitals in America. Each gave me an invaluable insight into the complex relationship of art and decoration in hospitals. 2 Table of Contents: Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................... 2 Abbreviations .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Figures Table ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 29 The Westmead Print Prize: Success and Controversy – Wallpapering the wards ........................... 29 Chapter 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 61 A young army of aesthetic decorators ................................................................................................... 61 Chapter 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 92 A caring home: Volunteers in the hospital ............................................................................................ 92 Chapter 4 .................................................................................................................................................. 117 Washed with impunity: The humble ceramic tile ............................................................................... 117 Chapter 5 .................................................................................................................................................. 137 Public art in institutions: Murals in hospitals ...................................................................................... 137 Chapter 6 .................................................................................................................................................. 159 Educating the patients: High art reproductions ................................................................................. 159 Chapter 7 .................................................................................................................................................. 193 Plain painted ward: As form follows function .................................................................................... 193 Chapter 8 .................................................................................................................................................. 213 Nurses: The forgotten decorators ........................................................................................................ 213 Chapter 9 No More Reproductions – Real art only allowed ............................................................ 230 Chapter 10 Flying fish and a giant acrobat - ‘quasi-museums’ ......................................................... 253 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 279 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................. 282 Susan Barclay – University of Western Sydney Susan Barclay – University of Western Sydney Abbreviations BHAC …………… British Health Care Arts Centre HHC………………Health and Hospitals Corporation ICS………………...International Conservation Services LAHF……………...London Arts Health Forum NHS ………………National Health Service NNAH……………..Network for Arts in Health NSW ………………New South Wales, Australia PIHs ………………Paintings in Hospitals SAH ...…………….Society for Arts in Health VIC ………………..Victoria, Australia WCTU …………….Women’s Christian Temperance Union 5 Figures Table Figure 0-1 Jan van Eyck "Madonna of Chancellor Rolin." 1435 oil on panel Paris: Source Musee du Louvre20 Figure 0-2 El Greco "The Baptism of Christ." oil on canvas Toledo, Spain: Web Gallery of Art 1608-28. 23 Figure 1-1 Judges of the Westmead Print Prize, John Olsen and Stanley de Hauteclocque holding with Frank Hodgkinson’s entry Disorientated Cassowary. Source The Sydney Morning Herald, April 24, 1979. ............. 36 Figure 1-2 the main entrance foyer of Westmead Hospital and the Jutta Feddersen wall hanging – Photograph S. Barclay 2013 and foyer when first opened in 1978 “Westmead Centre Shots for Architectural Award," Sydney: Source Government Printing Office ................................................................................................... 39 Figure 1-3 John Brunsden artworks originally exhibited within Westmead’s board room. Sharpe, Ray O. "Metropolitan Western Region Nurses Educational Board, Westmead Hospital," 1978. Source State Library of New South Wales. http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=134941 (accessed, March 20, 2013). .................................................................................................................................................... 40 Figure 1-4 Front cover of Westmead Print Prize competition catalogue with a copy of McMahon’s print, Looking for Lawrence 11/20 – this brief document is the only permanent record of the competition entries. S. Barclay ... 50 Figure 1-5 a competition entry still hung in its original position above a bed since its installation in 1979. 1979. S. Barclay 2010 ............................................................................................................................................ 51 Figure 1-6 selection of competition entries which illustrates the absence of consideration given by the Art Committee to the subject matter of the artworks, which were eventually hung within numerous public areas of Westmead. S. Barclay 2005 .......................................................................................................................... 56 Figure 1-7. These photographs were taken in various locations throughout Westmead and illustrate how the artworks acquired through the competition have become obscured over the years by an ad-hoc collection of signage and medical posters. S. Barclay 2009 ............................................................................................................ 60 Figure 2-1 Nightingale’s design for the pavilion style

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