CW+ is proud to fund a new photo exhibition at West Middlesex University Hospital, which documents the experiences of expectant families cared for in the hospital’s Queen Mary Maternity Unit.
The exhibition, which runs from 26 September to 14 October 2024, was funded through the CW+ Grants programme. The powerful black-and-white photo series was captured by London-based photographer James Clifford Kent, who spent time shadowing the team in the busy maternity unit.
In an uplifting full-circle moment, Kent returned to the unit where his daughter was born in the height of the pandemic in 2020, spending time with Consultant Obstetrician and Labour Ward Lead Osaeloke Osakwe, who supported Kent’s wife in the weeks building up to the birth of their daughter.
A day in the life of the unit
The photographs highlight the realities of a London maternity unit and how things have changed since the pandemic. The series is a moving portrayal of the journey that expectant families go on during this special time, and the care received from a team of healthcare professionals.
Depicting many of the moments that typically go unseen, the series captures team briefings led by consultants, anaesthesia being administered, and the moment a baby takes its first breath. Photographs featured in the exhibition are accompanied by short captions detailing the compassionate care provided by the team during caesarean section birth, which was the focus of the project.
Talking about his experiences, Kent said: ‘NHS staff respected me quietly capturing life in the unit, guiding me towards details they wanted recorded. As the son of an NHS nurse, I was not only determined to document healthcare workers’ fragility, but also the resilience and shared humanity that comes with caring for people and bringing new life into the world. It was a privilege to witness some of those moments and capture them with my camera.’
Hospital art collection
Following the exhibition at West Mid, the prints will become part of the CW+ Arts in Health art collection and will be displayed permanently in the Queen Mary Maternity Unit for the benefit of patients and staff.
Trystan Hawkins, Director of Patient Environment at CW+, said: ‘We are thrilled to be funding James’s photography exhibition, which provides an honest perspective of life on the Queen Mary Maternity Unit and the work of the incredible maternity team. James’s connection to the hospital brings a powerfully personal dimension to his work. I am delighted that photos from this project will become part of our Arts in Health art collection here at CW+’.
Award-winning photography
Some of Kent’s photographs have featured in world-leading medical journal The Lancet, as well as in The Times. In June 2024, his portrait of NHS Consultant Obstetrician Osaeloke Osakwe was awarded the British Journal of Photography’s Portrait of Humanity, an international prize showcasing the diversity of human experiences across the world.
