Our Stories
In this series of films, we share the journeys of five Hospital Rooms artists and show the impact they have had in some of the most challenging mental health settings.
The Art of Happiness
The Art of Happiness’ shows the extraordinary artworks created for locked mental health units by world class artists and the impact they are having.
‘Our patients have loved this process. Some, who have never before engaged in art have cut their leave short to attend sessions, others have wept tears of joy, described the workshops as 'the best day of their lives' and told us the sessions have eased times of utter despair.’ Staff member, Hellingly Centre
Beauty in the Overlooked
‘Beauty in the Overlooked’ follows artist Harold Offeh’s work at Eileen Skellern 1 (ES1) a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit for women. ES1 provides semi-secure hospital care for women who have severe and on- going mental illnesses Harold worked with patients at the unit to create photographs of the rainbow effects created when engine oil and rain water mix together on paving. His striking and transformative artworks remind us of the possibility for the everyday and overlooked to be spectacular and beautiful.’
Art Will Transform Us
‘Art Will Transform Us’ follows artist and Hospital Rooms co-founder Tim A Shaw working with patients to create a large scale mural for the Hellingly Centre - a forensic hospital in Sussex. The mural is inspired by the narratives of the people that use the space and draws on the heritage of the local area of Hastings. It is intended to remind patients of the power they find within them and the rich histories that they can be a part of and take a hand in creating.
Art is the Best Medicine
‘Art is the Best Medicine’ follows artist Steve Macleod create artwork for a communal gym at Bluebell Lodge, a locked rehabilitation unit for men who have severe and ongoing mental illness and who have found other units unable to meet their needs. Steve is a photographer and master printer who has a diagnosis of bipolar and experience of using inpatient mental health services.
"What Hospital Rooms does for me as a patient as well allows me to accept who I am. It allows me to become better at managing my condition."
- Steve Macleod
Not a Patient but a Person
‘Not a Patient but a Person’ follows Turner Prize nominated artist Mark Titchner in the creation of an artwork for the Jasmine Lodge, a mother and baby mental health unit that provides care for new mothers who experience serious mental health episodes and keeps them together with their babies whilst they recover.
"The process that the charity goes through with the workshops and the care of the installations and the effort the artists put in, very much validated me as a human being or individual, with permission to need and want a nice environment and made me feel like I was not just a patient-but a person. It felt very inclusive, when sometimes suffering with mental illness can be very isolating."
-Cat Lee
A Light in the Dark
‘A Light in the Dark’ follows artist Hannah Brown at the Hellingly Centre - a forensic hospital for challenging patients, with complex histories who are detained sometimes for their own safety whilst they receive the treatment they need. Many patients have little to no access to outdoor green space and nature and so, in her most ambitious painting to date, Hannah created a painting of a wooded landscape that stretched across 8.5 metres. The response to the painting has been overwhelming, with people saying 'I feel emotionally connected to it', 'it's totally unique', 'it's beautiful' and 'it feels like you can walk into it!'
All films 3D renders by Jon Emmony, additional footage by Tempo Media (Not a Patient but a Person) and Phoebe Eustance (A Light in the Dark and Art Will Transform Us), assistance from Niamh White, Natalie Tilbury, Tim A Shaw and Lucinda Greasley. Thank you to all the artists, the NHS Trusts and the patient and staff representatives who feature in the films. This series was commissioned by The Space.
