Temporary Ward

Temporary Ward, 180x320cm, light-box, 2008

I have been thinking about making a photo about hospitals and patient treatment for quite some time. When I was invited to the Northern Stage, New Castle, UK, to do a theatre project, I found out people came to theatres for psychological well-being, similar to seeking physical health improvements when patients go to the hospital. Do they get any real treatment and satisfaction, either from theatres or hospitals? With this question in mind, I come to the idea of transforming the UK’s Northern Theatre into a hospital ward. The Stage One theatre seemed to be as a fitting place to house 300 patients, medical staff and other participant models. On September 13, 2008, with the full support of Northern Stage staff and 300 volunteers, this project was successfully realized in a large-scale photograph titled “Temporary Ward”.

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