Light For Cicely : an introduction
Cicely Saunders International, in collaboration with King’s College London, is the world’s first Institute of Palliative Care - a centre of excellence for research, education, information provision and clinical care.
In association with the Contemporary Art Society, the artist Caroline McCarthy was appointed to make an artwork in response to the legacy of Dame Cicely Saunders for permanent display in the main public access area of the new building.
McCarthy invited people connected to Dame Cicely to contribute to the artwork by sending, via email, a photograph of a lamp turned on in their home. Displayed throughout the new building, these photographs express the idea of bringing light and also something of every contributor’s home into the building. Light and the notion of ‘home’ were central to Dame Cicely’s concept of a suitable environment for palliative care.
The lamps, sent from many parts of the world as well as from the UK, collectively make visible a whole behind-the-scenes network of different people connected through Dame Cicely, reflecting also the collaboration and shared inspiration she so valued.
All photographs, along with accompanying words from each contributor, can be viewed here by clicking Slideshow >.