Exhibitions

Exhibitions on a number of subjects have been exhibited at Guy's and St Thomas', from The Painter's Eye (originating at the National Portrait Gallery) to Perceptions of Pain (originating from the Pain Management Unit at St Thomas').

Proposals from external organisations and individuals are programmed along with projects originating within the Trust. We are happy to consider any collaborative ideas.

• Art in the hospital space
• Through the Lens − 600 years of Breastfeeding
• Biojewellery

Art in the hospital space
Until December 4th 2008 visitors to Guy's Hospital Atrium 2 will be both comforted by familiar images and transported to New York by the photography of Sarah Jankowski, a photography lecturer at Portsmouth College.

Her exhibition aims to bring the outside into the public space and in particular into the hospital environment through the medium of photography. She said: "I believe that patients, staff and visitors to hospital should be able to draw solace from displayed art, and that this art should be comforting, familiar and inspirational."

With this as her point of reference, Sarah, two of her students Amber Hardy and Calum Donoghue, and husband Anthony Jankowski produced a body of photographic work by selecting two hospitals – Guy’s of London and Bellevue in New York as venues for the photo artwork. Having visited both cities Sarah created a series of images reflecting the environments in which these world famous hospitals are situated. By talking to local people she has created images that reflect what the people who live and work in these areas would like to see on the walls of their hospitals, adding artistic elements of her own to produce a striking, colourful and exciting series of photographs.

Guy's patients will no doubt recognize The George Inn and iconic gherkin Swiss Re Tower.

Through the Lens − 600 years of Breastfeeding
Fourteen mothers from south London became models when they were photographed breastfeeding their babies for an exhibition inspired by paintings by well known artists.

The photographic portraits are based on well-known works of art spanning six centuries. Patients were be able to enjoy Laura Woolnough's photographs when they visit the ante-natal maternity unit at St Thomas’ Hospital.

The Head of Midwifery and Women's Services at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, said: "The exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to reflect the beauty of breastfeeding in contemporary art and will enhance the public’s awareness of its obvious natural goodness and benefit."

View the portraits here

Biojewellery: Designing rings with bioengineered tissue
The Charity hosted an exciting exhibition showcasing Biojewellery, a unique project bringing together the expertise of bioengineers, design researchers and jewellers. Together they grew bone for use in jewellery..

Bioengineers are researching cultivated bone for use in reconstructive surgery. For example, producing small rings of bone will enable them to build up stacks that replicate larger bone structures such as the thigh bone.

It took three months to grow the bone tissue needed for the Biojewellery exhibition. Interested couples who needed their wisdom teeth removed gave consent for the team to use fragments of bone that are routinely removed as a part of the extraction to culture new bone. Jewellers then worked with the couples to design bands that encompass the bone rings.

The process of donation, growth and design was documented and displayed along with rings for two couples at the exhibition in Guy's Atrium 1, Guy's Hospital.