Healing Outside – 2025

Jacob V Joyce, Healing Outside (Triptych), 2025. Painted with sumi ink sticks and chalk. Installation view at Charing Cross Hospital. Image: Imperial Health Charity.

Imperial Health Charity worked together with the Chemotherapy team at the hospital to select an artist who could respond to the needs of the space and create an improved and more welcoming environment.

Jacob spent visiting the department, speaking with staff about the nature of the treatment that happens in the Chemotherapy Day Unit and what they wanted to convey. Their series of paintings, Healing Outside, depicts images of nurses and other NHS staff in scenes of rest, reflection and unity, taking inspiration from Art Nouveau-stained glass windows.  A selection of inks, acrylic paint and accents of oil pastel give this work a mottled effect like that of dappled light pouring through panes of colourful glass.

The scenes include images that were donated to the artist during the research stage of this commission, including nurses laughing together, gardening, resting in nature and playing with their children.  The compositions have been expanded to include a variety of plants with medicinal qualities including sativas, sage, lavender and rosemary.

Above text from: https://www.imperialcharity.org.uk/arts/commissions-and-installations/jacob-v-joyce