electric angel /design for life

lift : glass in york hospital

photos of one of three glass lift panels commissioned by York NHS Trust and now installed in York Hospital. this was a collaboration with Rachel Welford along with a ceiling-based artwork for the lift to one of the operating theatres. we blogged about the manufacturing process here. i’ll blog the other three artworks over the coming week as i sort through the photos.

the designs are all based around trees native to britain that have an association with healing. the intention of the panels is to both replace the undesirable unbroken reflection of a mirror (because no-one really wants to be faced with their reflection when they’re ill or under stress) and provide a distraction on what can feel like a long journey as the lift travels.

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our design uses layered imagery and text that offers both an instant impact on the lift doors opening and also reveals more detail over time be that a single or much repeated journey. we’re told that since the panels were installed staff have been discussing their favourite tree to travel in. the bold bands of colour offer a practical purpose that came out of research into DDA issues and problems associated with hospital lifts – to provide a clear indication of the rear wall of the lift for partially sighted people.

liquid quality

the 2011 swim times leaflet for the imove sea swim project.

the photograph that covers the whole leaflet was taken by james swimming out in the south bay and we printed it in reverse on translucent paper with the black type printed on the front to give a sense of depth. the white lettering is the whited out of the background image and so is basically the light shining through the paper. the typography continues a house style for the project started on the beach huts earlier in the year.

we’ve had more lovely comments about this than any other recent piece of work (thanks everyone who has taken time to mention how much they like it), not least this typically poetic one from john who is co-curator of the project: “lovely liquid quality – as if you’d dipped an image in the water and hung it up to run and dry”

the leaflet was printed by north wolds.