Written Thesis

The next stage of this thesis year was to complete a written thesis.  The abstract from my thesis is below with images of the handmade cover, which it was presented in.

ABSTRACT

REBIRTH THROUGH FIRE:

Building patient self confidence and identity.

Ellen Palmer January 2012

This written thesis intends to investigate the advancements in burns healthcare in the UK during the two World Wars and what legacy it has left today.  Evidence shows that historically, as doctors struggled to care for men, major advancements were made in the medical and psychological arena due to the sheer number of patients contracting severe burns.  Surgical advancements made in World War 1 were the foundations, which led to the major discoveries during World War 2.  What should we learn from these accomplishments that have changed the face of British burns healthcare today?  This thesis will evaluate the success and importance of the evolution of surgical and psychological care during the World Wars, which aimed to rebuild patient self-confidence and identity.

The UK became ‘world leader’ specialising in burns healthcare due to the pioneering surgical and psychological care of burns patients during World War 2.  This thesis aims to uncover why and how the UK has lost this status today.  Enquiries reveal that there is a severe lack in the NHS burns service and that improvements must be made in order to gain back this status.  This research will enable an informed decision to be made regarding the provision for post-hospitalisation care and how the UK can regain this status of ‘world leader’.

In order to interrogate this question thoroughly research will cover; the initial treatments of burns healthcare in a military setting: the surgical advancements made through the World Wars with the aim to restore identity: the development of specialised burn units: and the psychological effects burn injuries can have on a victims self-confidence.

Showcase

The showcase exhibition was a chance for our previous work and our thesis questions to be externally challenged.

Final Review

The final review for this project was a couple of weeks ago.  To complete the project I produced presentation sheets, a film and a 1:100 physical model showing the structure of the way station.

Interim Review

The first stage was to initially research the Great Fire of London and the Blitz.  From this research a narrative had to be written and a way-station designed.

The narrative is about the Great Fire of London and the Blitz and how fire was extinguished from the city through containment or water.  It is based on personal accounts from diaries and letters, which were found at the British Library, the Museum of London and the London Metropolitan Archives.  I also visited the Monument (memorial to the Great Fire) and St Magnus the Martyr Church.  The style of writing is punchy emphasising feelings and visual imagery so the reader understands as much as possible.

From my research I plotted the emotive quotes onto historic maps of London and found areas of importance from the Great Fire and the Blitz.  This gave a structure for the narrative and a function for my way-station.

Samuel Pepys and Anthony Gormley

My initial understanding of the Great Fire of London 1666 led me to reading Samuel Pepys diary, which reminds me more of a historical account of events rather than a modern day diary, which focuses on a persons emotional response to events.  The way Samuel Pepys describes the Great Fire of London is very factual and from a safe distance away.  At my visit to Roche Court the Anthony Gormley statues caught my eye.  Metal men standing on the periphery of the farm, still and silently observing events.  The Anthony Gormley ‘Another Time’ statues are to me, a modern day interpretation of Samuel Pepys method of writing.

Reference:

Latham, R & Matthews, W (Eds.). (1972). The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Volume 7, 1666. London: Bell & Hyman Limited.

Salisbury Cathedral

The other half of our site visit was a visit to Salisbury Cathedral where a new font had been installed for the cathedrals’ 750 year celebration in 2008.  It was designed by William Pye  and is a working font used for baptisms for children and adults who require full immersion.  The font was concentrated by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 28 September 2008 and the oil marks are still present on it.  The water is always moving symbolising life and when the water is completely still it provides amazing reflections of the vaulted ceiling above.  The quotes on the side of the font read:

‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.’

‘And through the rivers they shall not overwhelm you.’

‘Do not fear for I have redeemed you’

‘I have called you by name you are mine.’

Reference:

Site Visit on 22^nd September 2011

Roche Court - Sculptures

One of the sculptures that I found specifically interesting in the park was ‘Bench 1’ designed by Practice Architecture (Paloma Gormley, Lettice Drake and Henry Stringer) in 2010, an amphitheatre made from recycled scaffolding.  The amphitheatre has good acoustics so is perfect to be used for discussions and debates.  The sculpture has in built drainage to help reduce the damage to the wood, which has already had a few pieces replaced.

Kenneth Armitage’s sculpture ‘Wall’ made in 1965 from bronze also interested me.  Looking through the funnels at different angles played with the sense of sight and forcing a viewpoint as well a the sense of sound depending on which way you spoke into the cone.

Another piece that sparked my imagination was the Richard Long’s Tame Buzzard Line made from flint in 2001.  Photographing this inspired me to think about distance, perspective and also route.  This also made me think back to the idea of the Fire of London and how the city was burned and buried underneath the new city, unlike this sculpture which reveals the materiality of what is underneath the earth; flint and stones.

Another piece, which interested me was Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Time XII’ made from cast iron in 2010.  The statues are at different points over the farm and seem to be  objectively observing the landscape they are in.

Reference:

Site Visit with tour on 22^nd September 2011

New Art Centre (2006-10). New Art Centre. Retrieved September 24, 2011, from www.sculpture.uk.com