Artists appointed to Bristol hospitals project

19 June 2012

We've made a series of exciting appointments for arts commissions accompanying redevelopment and new building at some of Bristol's central hospitals. Funding for these commissions has come from two sources: Above & Beyond, the Trust’s charitable fund, is funding artworks to create a nicer environment for staff and patients in key patient and public areas across the development and Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal is supporting the creation of a child-friendly environment with integrated artworks to enhance the redevelopment of Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

Energetic young architecture practice, Studioweave, will design a major artwork to provide a visual focal point and accoustic baffling for the atrium space witin a new ward block for the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI).  The new ward block is part of the BRI Redevelopment and Centralisation of Specialist Paediatric (CSP) Projects. These two redevelopment projects will include a number of refurbishments and new builds for the Trust. Studioweave work on a diverse mix of projects across the country, from furniture to exhibition design, to shelters, follies and buildings, and urban planning and design. 

Morag Myerscough will be using her distinctive and colourful design skills to enhance some of the main public routes within the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust's main central hospitals. Her love of colour and scale and more than 20 years' experience of working both independently and collaboratively with architects and client teams should prove an inspirational mix for the BRI Redevelopment and CSP Project.

Experienced Bristol-based sculptor Seamus Staunton has already begun working with children from a local school and the Children's Hearing Centre in St Michael's Hospital to create a permanent artwork for the Centre.  He is running a series of workshops exploring colour and pattern to help inform his design.

Photographer Simon Roberts has been commissioned to create a new body of work as part of the art programme for the BRI Redevelopment.  He will be reflecting Bristol's culture and landscape as well as reflecting the history of the city and its surrounding areas. Simon will engage the hospital and local community and collaborate with local cultural partners as part of his work.

Seamus Stanton’s residency will be completed in 2012, and the work by Studioweave, Morag Myerscough and Simon Roberts is due to be complete by spring 2014, in line with the construction work on the new redevelopment.