Strand by Stuart Haygarth
Strand is an artwork commissioned by University College London Hospitals in 2012. Elevating the commonplace or discarded object is a central tenant of Stuart Haygarth's work. For the 'Strand' commission, Haygarth walked along the coast from where the River Thames meets the North Sea at Graves End to the furthest point on the south coast, Lands End. Along this 450-mile coastal walk, he collected man-made objects which had been washed ashore by the sea. The objects collected formed an archive, fragments from people's lives.
The objects were then categorised by colour, ranging through the spectrum from white to black, creating order and symmetry out of randomness and waste. Haygarth's work is as much about the process of collecting and collating materials as the elevation of these materials to objects of value or beauty. By constructing narratives about time, loss, abandonment, and modernity, these human aspects attached to the chosen objects are an integral part and driving force within the work.
As he has said, 'My work revolves around everyday objects, often collected in large quantities, categorised and presented in such a way that they are given new meaning. It is about banal and overlooked objects gaining new significance.'
Strand is on display in the atrium of Macmillan Cancer Centre, UCLH.
About UCLH Arts & Heritage
UCLH Arts & Heritage is the hospital arts and heritage project that serves UCLH NHS Foundation Trust and its surrounding community and is funded entirely by charitable donations and fundraising. UCLH Arts & Heritage is committed to providing a welcoming, uplifting environment for all patients, visitors and staff through the use of a varied and stimulating arts and heritage programme. Its work aims to improve the patient experience, boost staff morale, increase engagement with the arts and celebrate the Trust’s unique heritage and community.
Since 2005, UCLH has worked to improve patient and staff outcomes through the Arts. It does this in a number of ways, including a changing exhibition and music programme, creative workshops on wards, artist residencies, commissioning site-specific artwork, and a staff culture club. UCLH arts and heritage receives its funding from UCLH Charity and the Friends of UCLH.
Website: https://
Twitter: @uclh
Instagram: @uclh