This exhibition forms part of Mayo General Hospital’s Visual Arts Programme, which was launched in 2001. ‘Body and Soul’ combines artworks by Irish and International artists in a wide variety of media and includes paintings by Nick Miller and Camille Souter, prints by Tim Mara and Craig Wood and sculpture by Dorothy Cross and Janet Mullarney.

Commenting on the project Johanne Mullan, National Programmer at IMMA, said: “The arts have traditionally, had a strong part to play in the healing process and their vital role in the well being of many individuals has being clearly documented. The presence of a vibrant Visual Arts Programme at Mayo General Hospital is testament to the benefits of initiatives such as this and IMMA is delighted to be involved in this latest initiative. It is clear that Mayo General Hospital is seeking to promote the visual arts within the hospital not merely to distract but to engage the patient, visitor and staff alike.”

Works in the exhibition include ‘The Flying Komarov’ one of the ‘Ten Character Albums’ by the Russian artist Ilya Kabakov who deals with both hope and fear through his fictional characters. The Albums can be read as visual narratives which play on the imagination and entice the viewer to recapture their sense of childlike wonder that is, all too often, constrained by everyday living. Patrick Hall’s ‘Ancestors’ reflects the artist’s preoccupation with his personal history and the forces that shape our destiny. Hall’s work emphasises the importance of everyday reality, however his application of paint gives even the most mundane of objects a mysterious though somber identity. ‘Untitled’ by Sean Scully is an example of the artist’s faith in the power of colour and form to appeal to our unconscious emotions, through the collision of the strongly contrasting colours which belies the simplicity of the composition. The exhibition embraces many of the most challenging issues and practices found in contemporary art. Thoughtful and stimulating, each artwork leads the viewer to both question and re-affirm their values and beliefs.

The exhibition is on view in public areas throughout the hospital.

A full-colour catalogue with an introduction by Dr Luke O’Donnell, Mayo General Hospital, and an essay by Catherine Marshall, Head of Collections, IMMA, and Johanne Mullan, National Programmer, IMMA, accompanies the exhibition (price €10.00).