The Weight of Being: Vulnerability, Resilience and Mental Health in Art

Date: 24 January – 19 April 2026

Location: Two Temple Place, London, WC2R 3BD

The Hospital Rooms project at Goodmayes Hospital articulates the importance of togetherness and collective wellbeing. Guided by more than forty workshops, ranging from designing landscapes to making clay amulets,the collective voices of service users, staff, and community members reimagine the shared spaces at Goodmayes Hospital. These contributions take form as a series of large-scale murals, sculptures, soundscapes, and more.

The exhibition, The Weight of Being: Vulnerability, Resilience and Mental Health in Art,  gives a glimpse into the project through artist Lakwena Maciver’s artwork, ‘Be My Shelter’, and ‘Take Refuge’, a film made in collaboration with Kingdom Choir. 

Be My Shelter

Expressing the vital role of shelter in our lives, the artwork reveals the multiplicity of people and the efforts that come together to create  a safe, supportive community. Deepening our understanding of the importance of holding space for those who most need it, signalling clearly that this space is intended as one of care, refuge, and belonging.

Take Refuge

The powerful collaboration between Hospital Rooms and the world-renowned The Kingdom Choir, led by Karen Gibson MBE, celebrates the healing and unifying power of music. Through a series of creative workshops, the Choir worked with NHS staff from the Global Majority at Goodmayes Hospital, culminating in a live performance at Whitechapel Gallery.

The film now lives on permanently at Goodmayes Hospital, offering a lasting symbol of refuge, creativity and collective strength within the NHS.

Admission FREE, no booking required.