I was commissioned by Ipswich Borough Council to create an artwork for the Welcome Back To Ipswich weekend. The event was to celebrate the return of our community to the town, post-pandemic and to "bring the people together to enjoy all the art and creativity of Suffolk". The brief was to make an artwork that included a member of our older community and a member of the NHS. After a shout-out on Facebook, I was put in touch with my models. The younger woman is the home carer of the lady in the reflection and is also a student nurse who worked in both hospitals and delivered home-based care during the lockdown.
My concept for the image was that the older lady was delighted to return and the use of the mirror held up by the nurse demonstrated that such a dedicated workforce literally carried our community's health and happiness during those unforgettable two years. By almost creating one body from the two people, I attempted to highlight their intrinsic connection. I tried to add a bit of humour to the image and there are, of course obvious 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' vibes, complimented by the nurse's tunic and PPE apron. I used the iconic Christchurch Mansion as a backdrop - I then overlaid the photo with a map of the town.
Once the photograph was bonded to OSB, I took it to the University of Suffolk where the young nurse is studying, and asked her to add her own words to the piece (click on the image of her writing on the artwork to find out more).
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