What art have I seen? Women’s Work
Maria Macavana’s exhibition, Women’s Work, comprising work developed during the pandemic with healthcare workers. It explores the relationship between women who have worked within the NHS and the tools that are important to them to deliver their work.
Two rooms comprised drawings, two with works made or contributed by people working in mental health and wellbeing – Cristina Logan, NHSCT Governance Lead Radiographer; Dr Lindsey Macleod, Independent Clinical Psychologist; Kasia Zych Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist; Angela Bialek Art Therapist; and Sarah McLean Social Worker.
Macavana’s drawings are captioned with texts explaining their significance to these women.
Macavana has been working in dialogue with Dr Macleod for a considerable period and this extends the work. It also links with work Macavana has done in Sri Lanka with craftswomen working with coir rope and palm leaf cocoons.
Macavana’s work, careful and subtle, evokes other women’s work, both physical and caring. It is based on conversations over long periods. It pays deep respect to these care workers with its care.
NSAIS Commission Courtyards (Gabbro)
Extended Deadline 17 January 2022
£50,000 excluding VAT
This commission addresses a key challenge at the heart of the ethos of Foxgrove (NSAIS): creating an empathetically designed environment that balances safety and therapy. We are looking for a designer/maker individual or team to design, fabricate, test and deliver modular units comprising planters, seating (and tables) for the Horticultural Courtyard and the Therapy Courtyard. The designer/maker will work closely with One Environments, Project Landscape Architect, to input into the overall layout, as well as surfaces, planting, lighting, and graphics/signage. The commission will need to contribute to the ethos and language of biophilic and therapeutic design throughout Foxgrove (NSAIS). Careful consideration will need to be taken with the choice of material and the design in order to meet the highest standards of safety and robustness.
What art have I seen? Dislocations
Group exhibition at the Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow.
“Dislocations was developed in dialogue with The Hunterian’s online exhibition Old Ways New Roads which details the production of Scottish landscape through military, touristic and Romantic representations in the 18th and 19th centuries. Dislocations traces the contestation and revision of such canonical representations.”
Went with Gill and Aaron Ellison, currently on an international fellowship at St Andrews. Aaron was very struck by the relationship between Jade Montserrat and Webb-Ellis’ Peat and JWM Turner’s Peat Bog, Scotland.
CHRIS FREMANTLE 
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