Joshua Bilton (opens in a new tab) is a visual artist making socially engaged artwork through workshops, folklore and walking. Here at CUH he works with patients, visitors and staff by the bedside and in small groups to improve their hospital experience through creativity. He is also an artist in residence at St George’s Hospital, London.
Recent Work
WHAT MATTERS
Link: https://vimeo.com/1053908390
What Matters is a hand-painted experimental 16mm video made in collaboration with patients and staff at Cambridge University Hospitals. Through four workshops that explore the relationship between ecology and wellbeing, the hospital community has responded to two regional conservation sites in Norfolk - Holme Bird Observatory along the East coastline of England and The River Nar, a globally rare chalk-stream that flows through the downs and fenland of north-west Norfolk.
Transforming into colours, birds, rivers, flowers, hearts, seasons and weather, each abstract painted journey expresses different thoughts and feelings about place, walking, nature and magic.
The staff and patients hand-painted journeys are layered with 16mm footage of the River Nar, Holme Bird Observatory, a narrated story by year 4 children from Arbury Primary School in North Cambridge, and the hands and gestures of female ornithologists.
What Matters was commissioned by CUH Arts and generously supported by Arts Council England.
I found that making marks and patterns soothed me, I felt happier doing something fun with others.
Patient at CUH
