LONDON.- British-born, US-based artist Andy Burgess is creating a series of site-specific artworks for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. The project, which was initiated by CW+ - the official charity of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - and facilitated by Cynthia Corbett Gallery, which represents the artist internationally, aims to improve and enhance the NICU environment for patients, relatives and staff.
Working in close collaboration with the NICU team, Burgess will be reminiscing on the hospital’s neighbourhoods and its iconic views, sights and buildings in collaboration with hospital staff. The selected London scenes will be transformed by the artist in his unique, abstract, geometric style and printed on medically compliant vinyl – to then be installed in corridors and waiting areas of NICU.
“This project inspires me tremendously and I’m excited to be embarking on this creative journey with the hospital and CW+,” explains the artist, Burgess. “I am delighted to have been identified for this unique opportunity and to be working with NICU staff to contribute to the improvement of the environment in this innovative way.”
Burgess, who has made a name for himself exploring the relationship between modernist architecture and contemporary painting, aims to instil the artwork with feelings of positivity and calmness, while staying true to his British and London heritage and his love of early 20th century art, architecture and collage. He will be creating a multi-layered narrative, incorporating his signature open primary colours and clean lines.
Cynthia Corbett of Cynthia Corbett Gallery says: “I have been working with Andy Burgess for more than 16 years by now, and I am as ever fascinated by his ability to innovate while giving homage to his sources of inspiration. It is an honour for me as Gallerist to be working with CW+ on the project for the Hospital, and I am immensely proud that Andy Burgess was selected for this amazing initiative. The Hospital is famous for its outstanding art collection, and we are thrilled to be amongst the ones adding up to it while making the patients, visitors and staff’ lives better.”
Trystan Hawkins, Director of Patient Environment at CW+ explains: “We are thrilled to be working with Andy Burgess to transform NICU with staff-led local cityscapes. We know that art and the physical environment plays an important role in patient, family and staff wellbeing so we’re delighted to be able to introduce Andy’s dynamic and inspiring designs to bring colour, peace and hopefully a welcome distraction to parents and family members who are often spending long periods of time in NICU.”
