Light Art & Healthcare
Between birth and death, many of life’s most critical moments occur in hospital and they deserve to take place in surroundings that match their significance.'
Richard Cork, The Healing Presence of Art (2012)
Precious - Great Ormond Street Hospital, London
Hospitals are an inevitable feature of life, experienced by patients, caregivers, and staff alike. Design choices such as colour, light, materials, and furnishings can influence the wellbeing of hospital users. Alongside these decisions the value of hospital artworks to comfort, reduce stress, and promote healing is being given increasing recognition.
In moments of vulnerability and fear, of which there are many in a hospital, art can often speak the loudest - providing solace and articulating thoughts and feelings when word cannot be found.
Light installations can have a special resonance in hospital settings. They offer a connection to the outside world, enabling patients to witness the passing of time and seasons, especially during prolonged stays. We have found previous installations create micro moments of magic, as sunlight dances across an artwork viewers are reminded of the persistence of beauty and joy even in challenging times.
“When I was going through the difficult moments of my twin pregnancy, I would walk past the large Chris Wood piece at the birthing center at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. In those moments of fear and uncertainty, that artwork felt like a beacon of hope, gently reminding me that even in the darkest times, light would eventually come. And it did—more beautifully than I could have imagined.
I will forever be grateful for that piece, a beautiful distraction.”
Since Chris Wood's first hospital commission in 2008 for St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals, our studio has continued to create impactful works for healthcare settings across the world. Our portfolio includes projects for Christies Cancer Hospital, Addenbrookes Hospital, London Bridge Hospital, Colchester Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Spire Hospital, Ohio Hospital, and most recently, Charing Cross Hospital in London. Each project comes with its own unique set of challenges & environmental constraints, the creative briefs for each have ranged greatly, with one especially poignant commission to create an artwork which would recognise child organ donors.
Still Colour - Charing Cross Hospital, London
Our recent project, Still Colour, was installed in summer 2024 at Charing Cross Hospital’s Breast Services Unit. This artwork embodies the delicate interplay between the aesthetic sensitivity and practicality required when designing an artwork for a healthcare spaces. Installed on an existing window that separates a corridor from the waiting room, the artwork had to delicately navigate multiple considerations.
On a practical level the artwork needed to aid patient privacy whilst allowing natural light to filter through, preserving an open and airy atmosphere rather than closed or or claustrophobic. The piece was to be a colourful and engaging installation - but it needed to compliment rather than overwhelm. The result is an window artwork created with two optical filters; dichroic and reeded film. The pattern, composed of vertical and diagonal lines, spans the four-metre width of the window.
As individuals move between the artwork and the window the light, their presence momentarily interrupts the light adding a intrigue and dynamism. This fluidity encourages exploration - fragmented reflections shift with the viewers angle allowing the piece to evolve continuously.
At it’s heart, Still Colour is imbued with a profound respect for the emotional weight of the environment, a moment of colour and light for those navigating potentially life changing moments in the waiting room.
The reeded film fragments and distorts the view both inside and out, creating visual complexity whilst enhancing privacy. Meanwhile the dichroic filter introduces a spectrum of colour, adding kinetic intrigue as light interacts with the surface. On either side of the window images are fragmented and reflected.
Each of our healthcare projects reflects our commitment to infusing meaning into every artwork. Hospitals represent the full spectrum of human experience—from birth to death—and are visited equally by art follows and individuals encountering art for the first time. Our mission is to create therapeutic artwork installations which resonate with the viewer, enhancing the hospital experience by providing moments of joy, peace, and contemplation.
As the role of art in healthcare continues to evolve, we remain dedicated to contributing works that provide comfort and support to those in their time of need.