BA Fine Art students design organ donation themed memorial for King’s College Hospital
- Written byEuan McLaren
- Published date 03 June 2024
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A team of year 2 and year 3 BA (Hons) Fine Art students from Chelsea College of Arts - Maria Alejandra Clemente Arguelles, Damin Choi, Elizabeth O’Farrelly and Anita Karklina - have designed a poignant memorial for King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust recognising the importance of organ donation. Located in South London, King’s is one of the leading Trusts for organ donations in the UK. The mural, which was unveiled on 31 May 2024, illustrates the organ transplantation journey, expressing gratitude towards organ donors and their families, community members and hospital staff. The students were supported by Chelsea College of Arts’ Fine Art lecturers Joel Simpson and Ocean Baulcombe-Toppin.
The memorial’s central theme is that ‘every day is precious’. Within the panoramic landscape sweeping from left to right, recurring characters are depicted at different stages of an organ transplantation journey. At the centre, an open gift box can be seen, representing the gift of life bestowed from organ donors to organ recipients. Letters of thanks to donor families and hospital staff soar in the sky, whilst the changing of seasons symbolises new beginnings. References to the local area are reflected in the artwork which features the Ruskin Park bandstand, the Wyndham Estate, Dulwich Hamlet football team, Camberwell Leisure Centre, Vassall Road and Camberwell Grove houses and the 'Camberwell Beauty' Butterfly Mural.
The vibrant artwork is the result of a 9-month collaboration between Chelsea College of Arts and King’s College Hospital. This included multiple site visits where students met with hospital staff, donor families and transplant recipients before submitting designs to King’s College Hospital.
Joel Simpson, Lecturer in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts who mentored the students throughout the process, said: “A central message that emerged from these conversations, and that the artists succeeded to convey in their design, is the collective feeling of hope that drives those who support and enable organ transplantation.”
Elizabeth O’Farrelly, one of the 4 BA (Hons) Fine Art students from Chelsea College of Arts involved with the project said: “When creating the mural, we felt it was important to memorialise the donors. In the mountains we use flags that represent donors’ lives and their achievements. Then, as the gift of the organ donations open, the mural becomes brighter and as you step into spring and summer, it's about the gift of new life that's being given. Throughout the past months, we've taken pictures of daily life in Camberwell which we have incorporated into the mural too. It was a really nice experience to be part of a community-based art project and I now understand how important organ donation is.”
King’s College Hospital wanted to honour organ donors and their families, in recognition of the vital role organ donation plays in helping other critically ill people to have lifesaving transplants. This inspired the hospital to reach out to Chelsea College of Arts to work with them on the creation of a memorial. The students provided an innovative artistic perspective, as they focused on the project’s social and cultural impact on the community when designing. The mural serves as a reminder of the transformative power of art and the boundless potential for positive change when we unite with a shared purpose.
The memorial design puts organ donation into the context of organ transplantation, showing the difference organ donation makes to those waiting for a life-saving transplant.
Hilary Patel, Chair (volunteer) of King’s College Hospital Organ Donation Committee said: “A stranger saved my life when I needed a life-saving liver transplant, due to an autoimmune condition, at King’s College Hospital. I will forever be grateful for that gift. As a leading hospital for organ donation, it is fitting there is such an innovative and engaging memorial to organ donors and their families and the staff at King’s College Hospital involved in both organ donation and transplantation, at the heart of the hospital.”
Nationally, there are currently around 7,000 people waiting for a transplant. The ultimate goal is that the mural will inspire more people to add their name to the NHS Organ Donation register.
Dr Yemi Jegede, Consultant Paediatric Critical Care, KCHT and Regional Clinical Lead for Paediatric Organ Donation said: “Organ donation saves lives. This memorial is an important way for King’s College Hospital to thank organ donors and their families for their compassion and selflessness. As a Paediatric Critical Care Consultant, I have seen, first-hand, the courage of families who, while facing the devastating loss of a child, think of others in critical need and make the decision for their loved one to help save the lives of others, through organ donation."
Chelsea College of Arts is continuing its partnership with King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, working with its sister hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley through the design and creation of a memorial in their garden to be unveiled in the autumn.
Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am proud of the efforts of all our staff, and I would also like to thank the talented students from Chelsea College of Arts who have created an incredibly thoughtful design highlighting the importance of organ donation.”