21/10/08

Hospital Censors Artist's Work

MK Arts 4 Health

Dear All,

I have decided to remove some of the artworks from Simon’s exhibition for the time being, as I have had 2 queries regarding the content of the exhibition and I do not wish to cause any offence or distress to hospital users. I regret that it is necessary to censor Simon’s work in this way, but as people visiting the hospital are not here by choice as they would be if visiting a gallery setting, and also may not have time to fully engage with the reasoning behind the exhibition, the work has potential to cause upset and possibly distress.  

Dear MK Arts 4 Health

I’m writing to you to tell you how disappointed I am with the hospital decision to censor my artwork and exhibition.

When I set out to make this work it was not my intention to shock or distress people. I do find it uneasy that a hospital can not accept these images in a processed art form, as a hospital is full of these visual images as part of every day life. When you walk down the corridors or visit patients on the wards you are presented with the direct results and aftermath of surgery and recovery from illness. As you know I have had major surgery to remove cancer from my mouth and as a patient I took it for granted that in my time in hospital I would come across images of people in recovery.

My artwork since being diagnosed with ‘Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma’ revolves around my treatment and recovery not in a negative way, but in a positive way. One of the things that has kept me positive in my recovery is the praise I have received from friends, family and the people I meet. The honest and open way in which I deal with cancer, I believe has put people at ease so that we are able to talk about illness.

The Question ‘What gets you out of bed in the mornings?’ is a reactive question it makes you think about you motivations for getting through the day and for people in hospital it’s their motivation for recovery. The visual artwork that I intended to go with these replies is design to compliment and stimulate to encourage the viewer to take part in the conversation.

I would like to come to some sort of compromise around the work either by putting up some sort of disclaimer, directing people to the relevant services if affected by any of the issues raised or just have the artwork on show for the private view either as they are or as digital projected presentation.

As I was hanging the work there was a very favorable response from passers-by, and no complaints at that time. People reacted mostly to the written artwork more than the visual artwork.

I hope we can resolve this problem

Regards

Simon

Dear MK Arts 4 Health

First of all may I say that the remit for MK Arts for Health is to provide a welcome distraction from pain and suffering, this is usually using arts that are uplifting in content whether it be music, dance or visual. However, having said that there is also a place for thought provoking art that is of a sensitive nature but great care must be taken where this work is situated.

We have had similar problems in the past. We showed Michele Petrone's 'Emotional Cancer Journey' exhibition some years ago (may I suggest you look at the web site and see the images). This exhibition consisted of a series of paintings in primary colors telling the story of Michele's journey through diagnosis, pain, suffering and remission. The paintings were in primary colors, relatively abstract and were accompanied by a poignant text. It was staff who raised objections as they thought patients may be upset and perhaps they were over sensitive and too protective as, in the event, this was not the case. We had a private view and the Chaplain from Willen Hospice came which resulted in myself and the then current hospital Chairman taking some patients from Willen Hospice around the exhibition. Their main comment was that it enabled them as cancer sufferers to talk about their illness by responding to and discussing the paintings. They said cancer was a lonely illness as nobody liked to talk about the 'C' word.

To get back to Simon's exhibition, I suspect photographs are more explicit than paintings (I have not seen the work). Some patients will inevitably be upset by them if they are reminded of events they are trying to put behind them. I strongly feel it is important for such works to be seen by those who choose to see them. May I therefore suggest you approach Marilyn in the Post Graduate Centre and see if the exhibition can be hung there with a couple of less sensitive works hung strategically in the hospital with an explanation.Make patients and staff aware that the rest of the exhibition is available for viewing. You may recall we did this with the Leukhemia, Breast Cancer and Heart Disease exhibitions that were deemed, by some, to be too sensitive for general viewing. There are many visitors to the PG centre, staff, students etc. and thought provoking exhibitions are well placed there, after all it is a centre for learning.

You tell me Simon's work is of high quality images and a powerful exhibition so I do hope we can find a place for it. As a keen photographer I would certainly like to see the work myself and Congratulations must go to Simon for the hard work he has obviously put into the preparation of such an exhibition and may I wish him every success with it.

We managed to show some of our earlier exhibitions thanks to a retired pathologist who had a keen interest in Arts for Health. He collected a few poignant good quality exhibitions together and facilitated the touring of these exhibitions around hospitals who had a keen interest in Arts in Health. I will make enquiries and see if he is still active, if he is Simon would do well to be in touch with him.

I do hope this reaches the positive conclusion it deserves.

Kind regards
Susan Brown
Board Member - MK Arts for Health