SURGE III

SURGE III brings together artists from University of the Arts London and researchers from University College London to interrogate the intricate relationships between healthcare technologies and the patient experience.

The exhibition takes place at Lethaby Gallery (Window Gallery), Central Saint Martins, UAL, 13 March to 10 April, 2024.

Exhibition

Sarah Dixon (MA Performance: Society, Central Saint Martins) and Ryman Hashem (WEISS)

Through photography, painting, sculpture, sound, and film, Sarah Dixon and Ryman Hashem give creative voice to the distressing condition of Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an extreme form of sickness during pregnancy. Their stomach robot interventions and audio-visual pieces convey the physical and emotional impacts of this poorly understood affliction.

Please note: this work contains themes around pregnancy and abortion.

Kate Kelly (MA Fine Art: Painting, Camberwell College of Arts) and Robert Stafford-Williams (WEISS)

Connecting lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and the power of aesthetic patterns, Kate Kelly and Robert Stafford-Williams lead participatory painting workshops for affected patients. Their joint exhibit features Kate’s evocative portraits of participants alongside data-driven abstractions of ultrasound scans.

Natalia Mesa (MA Art and Science, Central Saint Martins) and Reni Magbagbeola (WEISS)

And in contemplating advanced prosthetic limbs, Natalia Mesa and Reni Magbagbeola layer engravings and paintings that represent the physical and psychological points prosthetics need to connect with. Their collaborative pieces aim to focus on the promise and possibilities emerging technologies offer amputees.

Captivating in scope, concept and execution, these three projects showcase the intersection of art, science and the patient journey. We hope you enjoy.

Private View

To launch the exhibition, a private view was hosted at Central Saint Martins, gathering artists, researchers, and patient groups involved in the collaborative projects. Additional artworks and workshop materials were displayed alongside the main exhibits. Project partners provided remarks about the processes of combining art, medical research, and patient experiences to create the interdisciplinary works, allowing attendees to gain insight into the creative approaches used in fusing the three-way dialogues.

Image credits: SURGE III, 2024, Lethaby Gallery, Central Saint Martins | Photograph: Christopher Bellamy, @bio.crafted

SURGE III

SURGE III is the third instalment of UAL's Post-Grad Community (PGC) and UCL's WEISS Centre collaborative programme that brings together scientists, artists and the public to explore the complexities and application of technology in surgery.

SURGE III was developed with the support of Simon Watt and Phil Wiles from WEISS Public Engagement Team, and Fred Kavanagh, Catriona Mahmoud and Rachael Lakhan from UAL Post-Grad Community.

Post-Grad Community

Established in 2013, Post-Grad Community is an inclusive platform for all UAL postgraduate students to share work, find opportunities and connect with other creatives within the UAL and beyond. Find out more.

Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS)

By combining the strength of engineering and clinical sciences at UCL, WEISS aims to ensure that innovative engineering solutions are reaching the clinic to benefit patients. Find out more.

Project links

Gut Feelings, Sarah Dixon credits

Waves of Experience, Kate Kelly credits

Layers of Perception, Natalia Mesa credits

Christopher Bellamy Instagram