84 polaroid made by patients and staff at St George’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital between 2022-2023.
‘Gestures of Care’ documents 84 gestures made by patients and staff at St George’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital, where artist Josh Bilton has been running workshops during his year-long residency, exploring how an aspect of care, illness, healing, loss and touch, can be taken into a non-verbal hand gesture.
Accompanying ‘Gestures of Care’ is a movement and sound piece that performs the 84 gestures on-site at St George’s Hospital, devised by Daisy May Kemp and Josh Bilton.
Photography of artwork by Emily Horton Photography
Performances Thursday 22nd June 23, St George’s Hospital.
Duration 8 minutes 30 seconds.
The Sun will rise today at 04:43 and appear at its highest elevation at 13:02 to mark the summer solstice. From 13:02, three dancers will perform 84 Gestures Of Care in The Walk On The Wild Side Garden. Each gesture will respond to 84 polaroids made by patients and staff at St George’s Hospital and Queen Mary’s Hospital, where artist Josh Bilton has been running workshops during his year-long residency, exploring how an aspect of care, illness, healing, loss and touch, can be taken into a non-verbal hand gesture.
Choreography and performance devised by Daisy May Kemp and Josh Bilton with movement by Orla Collier, Hannah Mason and Soledad de la Hoz.
Video documentation by charlotte Ginsborg, edited by Josh Bilton.
Throughout my residency at St George’s Hospital I ran workshops with groups of staff and at the bedside of patients in paediatrics, oncology, stroke rehabilitation and dialysis. Each workshop used a range of processes such as storytelling, painting, clay, breathing meditations, gesture, photography and ritual to explore the essential role art can play in environments of care.
