Commissioned by Hospital Rooms, this was one of my most challenging projects due to the limited access to the space and the nature of these spaces in the NHS. But with the wonderful organisers - Anna Testar (Project Curator) & Izzy Eastick (Project Assistant) - we overcame many obstacles.  We had only two days to install the mural but with a small team of excellent technicians we were able to meet our completion deadline. ​

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FREEDOM WALL is an interactive mural surface that allows the patient to express themselves through drawing and writing activities prompted by the text on the wall.  This gives an individual the freedom and ability to personalise their space and to hold on to some rights of expression in a situation where much of their rights are removed. 

 

On entering this small ward, the design was created to give a sense of lightness and freedom as opposed to confinement, concentrated on the main corridor wall and entrance doors to the secure units.  

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​Staff say the artwork has made an enormous difference.  And the response from patients has been immediate and profound:

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"If you could let Kofi know that their work in the 136 suite was appreciated by both myself and the other patient detained there. It is such a cave-like and prisonesque space and to see something creative there really helped bring calm at an incredibly challenging time.

I think the work that you are all doing is amazing and will have long standing positive impacts on people like me. So often we are subjected to negative opinions from others, and it gives me some hope (in an often hopeless place) to see that people really do care about us.

Good luck as your programme continues and I hope you can see what a light you give to us when there is so much darkness."

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