News
The launch of Artefacts will take place during the Bealtaine Festival, a collection of artwork sculptures undertaken by residents of Clonakilty and Dunmanway Community Hospitals in collaboration with guest artist Helle Helsner. This project took place over a two-week period in each location as part of the Arts for Health partnership programme, West Cork.
Working directly from their imaginations, the residents created a collection of bronze sculptures with Arts for Health artists Anne Harrrington-Rees, Sarah Ruttle, and guest artist Helle who has been working with bronze for the past 12 years. Texture and surface form an important part of her work as does the pre-historic processes which she specialises in.
This short collaboration began with the process of modelling wax, a very soft material which once heated in the hands is very malleable and will pick up minute details such as nail and finger prints. Off site, the wax pieces were cast in bronze by Helle using a combination of ancient and modern methods in her small scale foundry using self-made equipment.
Following the launch during Bealtaine, the national event celebrating creativity as we age, the work will be on permanent display in the respective hospitals from May 2013.
Arts for Health is a partnership programme based in West Cork implementing a managed arts programme for older people in healthcare settings. It takes place in five Community Hospitals, five Day Care Centres and Bantry General Hospital Care of the Elderly Unit. The partners are West Cork Arts Centre, Cork County Council Arts Office, West Cork VEC and the HSE. The HSE is represented through the Cork Arts + Health Programme, the Health Promotion Department, the Nursing Directors of Community Hospitals and the Day Care Centres, West Cork.
West Cork Arts Centre is suported by the Arts Council. The Arts for Health partnership gratefully acknowledges the local support towards the programme with special thanks to West Cork Older Peoples Network and Friends of the Day Care Centres.
