Chris Kubiak
Conservatory III by Peter Eastman

In the final instalment of our Twenty for Twenty series, we ask Arts for Health MK Chair of Trustees, Chris Kubiak, to select an artwork from the Milton Keynes University Hospital Art Collection.

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

Conservatory II, Peter Eastman

When and how did you first see it?

My daughter was born here. Both my son and I have been patients here, and I’ve visited as an outpatient a few times.  I’m not sure when I first saw it, but when I had to pick one artwork, finding Peter Eastman’s lithograph was like bumping into an old friend.

What first interested or attracted you to this artwork?

It’s a beautiful image!  Almost dreamlike. But also, when I stop and look at it, I feel drawn into that room. It’s like the conservatory is waiting for someone to sit in one of those chairs. Maybe have a coffee and read the newspaper or just sit and enjoy being in that warm room surrounded by plants.

Do you remember how seeing this work made you feel?

It evokes a sense of calm and silence. The atmosphere is very different from the hospital corridor where it is displayed. If you look a bit longer and you notice the way the long shadows in the conservatory suggest that it’s late afternoon but still bright and sunny outside. The door of the conservatory is open inviting you to go out into the garden and enjoy the sunshine. You can almost hear the birds singing outside.

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

The artwork I chose highlights one impact our artwork might have on people in the hospital.  The image of the conservatory captures your imagination and takes you away to somewhere quiet and restful. Whether you’re a patient or a staff member, I think everyone would appreciate short break in the conservatory.

Contributors: Chris Kubiak  
Chris Kubiak is Chair of Trustees at Arts for Health MK, he joined the board in 2022 and stepped up to the role of chair in 2024.  Chris is a Senior Lecturer at the Open University in health and social care and the co-director of The Open University's Assessment Programme.

Alongside colleagues at the OU Chris helped oversee of 2024 impact of the collection report:  https://artsforhealthmk.org.uk/Impact-of-The-Collection