Arts for Health MK Collection Volunteer Ellie
‘The Passage’ by Tomas Georgeson

In the next instalment of our Twenty for Twenty series, we ask Arts for Health MK Collections Volunteer Ellie to select a favourite artwork.

Which work in The Collection have you chosen to talk about?

The Passage by Tomas Georgeson.

When and how did you first see it?

Although I have always really enjoyed the art whenever I was at the hospital, I actually first came across this artwork while volunteering with Arts for Health and I was immediately taken with it.

What first interested or attracted you to this artwork?

In The Passage, Georgeson depicts a personal act of remembrance - a context that I think is demonstrated very well through the unusual and intimate composition. The colours and mark-making used are warm, bright and really add to the quiet calm of the subject matter. I find the pair to be very effective paintings, and a lovely thing to see in the corridors.

Do you remember how seeing this work made you feel?

I personally find it very soothing, very contemplative. Having the figures sat surrounded by nature and made anonymous by the composition makes me think of being very very small compared to the world. This is to me quite a comforting image.

In general, what kind of impact do you think seeing art at MKUH has on your experience of being on the hospital site?

I think it enriches it immensely. Whether you’re a visitor, patient or staff, there is always something to distract from what can be a very stressful experience, and the art on display ranges so much that you can always find something interesting to see.

Contributors: Ellie
Ellie is a collections volunteer at Arts for Health MK working alongside our Collections and Exhibitions Manager. She currently focuses her time on archiving; helping us digitise and maintain over 40 years’ worth of records of art at MK Hospital.  Our volunteers provide invaluable support to our small team.  You can find out more about our current volunteering opportunities here: Volunteer with us - Arts for Health Milton Keynes.