Dialysis Unit's art exhibition
One of the fruits of the fundraising efforts of Kilcullen women participating each year in the Flora Womens Mini Marathon was opened to the public in Waterford last week as an exhibition, Captured Time.
Comprising artworks and poetry by Johanna Tanner, Frank Curtis and Philip Cullen, Captured Time created through art sessions in the Dialysis Unit of Waterford Regional Hospital was officially launched by the Mayor of Waterford, Cllr John Halligan. A crowd of over 100 friends, family, patients and hospital staff were in attendance. The exhibition will remain on display until the 30th September.
The Renal Dialysis Unit in Waterford Regional Hospital is a 16-bed unit that accommodates 97 chronic renal dialysis patients. Since 2006, the Waterford Healing Arts Trust (WHAT) has delivered an arts programme in the Renal Dialysis Unit. This has been made possible by funding from the Punchestown Kidney Research Association. Patients have an opportunity to engage with the trained arts facilitators Boyer Phelan and Philip Cullen.
When Philip Cullen began working in the Renal Dialysis Unit he met Frank Curtis and Johanna Tanner. Philip has a large bank of artistic skills not confined to visual art. He works with people through many disciplines including creative writing. Philip gently guided and encouraged Frank and Johanna to develop their creative skills and the result is a wonderful series of portrait drawings by Frank and a book of poems by Johanna entitled Lines in the Half Light. The exhibition also includes sculptures by Philip made in response to both Johanna and Frank’s work.
Captured Time is in keeping with the aims of the Waterford Healing Arts Trust which was set up in 1991 to explore the role of the art in the promotion of healing and wellbeing.
Pictured at the opening are Kilcullen's Phena Bermingham, representing the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund, and Gordan Watson. Pic: John Power Photography.
