Paintings in Hospitals is delighted to announce the launch of the Alexandra Reinhardt Memorial Award. The annual prize of £5,000 is being funded by the Max Reinhardt Charitable Trust and will be awarded by Paintings in Hospitals.
The winning artist will be commissioned to create a major new piece of work for permanent display in an NHS hospital and another piece for the Paintings in Hospitals Collection which will be available as a loan to other hospitals in the UK. In addition to the commissions, the winning artist will be offered a solo exhibition at PiH's new gallery space at The Menier Chocolate Factory in February/March of the following year.
The launch of the Award coincides with the opening of PiH's first exhibition at the Menier Chocolate Factory which will be a retrospective exhibition of drawings, paintings and sculptures by Alexandra Reinhardt who died aged 43 in January 2004.
Alexandra's artistic career developed alongside an ongoing battle with terminal illness. At nine weeks, she was diagnosed at Great Ormond Street Hospital with a rare blood disorder called Diamond Blackfan Anaemia leading to years of lengthy stays in hospital, regular blood transfusions, daily injections and coping with the side effects of her treatment. In addition she was profoundly hard of hearing and was the first deaf student at Chelsea School of Art where she took a BA in Graphics.
The endless physical interventions she had to endure became integrated with her artistic explorations as she created massive sculptural collages from the needles, blood bags and medical paraphernalia that she depended on for survival. These pieces give a disturbing eloquence to her suffering but also reveal her humour and vitality that was very much part of her personality despite her illness. Towards the end of her life, she took this vitality into paint producing joyous and energetic works of art, perhaps emerging out of the cocoon of pain into a newly found freedom like the butterflies she depicted.
Application forms for artists wishing to be considered for the Award will be available from 1 February 2005. Closing date for entries will be 15 March 2005. The first residency will take place at Great Ormond Street Hospital.