New doco celebrates Arts in Health

A NEW mini-documentary has been released celebrating the community’s contribution to Tweed Valley Hospital’s centrepiece art sculpture inspired by the local landscape.

Local artist Hiromi Tango collaborated with hundreds of patients, staff and community members to create the commissioned sculpture, GARDEN: Healing Together, which is suspended from the ceiling of the main hospital foyer.

The artwork is part of the hospital’s Arts in Health program, which already includes more than 90 artworks created by 30 artists across 17 clinical wards.

Labor spokesperson for Tweed, Emily Suvaal MLC, said the sculpture gave the hospital a unique and distinct local identity.

“It aims to enhance the patient, staff and visitor experience,” Ms Suvaal said.

“This hospital is really important to our region, and it is wonderful that it has this warm, welcoming artwork.”

As it marks four months since its official opening, the $723.3 million hospital has managed more than 15,000 Emergency Department presentations.

NSW Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said it was clear that having a significantly larger hospital was a significant asset to the community.

“By including the community in the planning and design of the hospital development, including the artwork, it has created such a welcoming, therapeutic environment in this new health facility,” Mr Park said.

“More than 500 community members, young and old, contributed to the artwork, whether it was from their hospital beds, nurses station, or a picnic in the park.”

The artist, meanwhile, said a village basically steered the creation of GARDEN: Healing Together.

“It was guided by Elders from both the Aboriginal and South Sea Islander communities,” Ms Tango said.

“As well as participants including hospital staff and patients, school students and local retirement and aged care facility residents.

“We gently wove our hopes and aspirations through a deep love of place to create the artwork.”

GARDEN: Healing Together, along with a complete collection of the artworks, will feature in the virtual ‘Arts Trail’ on the Northern NSW Local Health District’s website.

To view the documentary, visit nnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/hospitals/tweed-valley-hospital/art-trail#76