CW+ Artist in Residence Phoebe Kaniewska was commissioned by CW+ to create three powerful artworks now on display in the recently refurbished Gynaecology Department waiting room at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. To mark Endometriosis Awareness Month, this video features our conversation with her about how each piece was inspired by the lived experiences of endometriosis patients – including Phoebe herself.
Watch the video or read the transcript below.
Creating art from lived experience
Last year, CW+ commissioned me to redesign the waiting room in the Gynaecology Department and also produce three new artworks based around my experience of endometriosis.
I’ve been treated at Chelsea and Westminster since 2018, so six years now, and the care has been so brilliant, attentive, creative. As a patient, I understand first-hand how debilitating this condition is, and it felt really important to channel that into my work.
I wanted to make sure that the art wasn’t sugar-coating anything. I wanted it to be uplifting but honest. I wanted to channel a feeling of helplessness and, I guess, grief and pain about having this condition, but I also wanted to convey the support of my peers, the community, and how strong people with endometriosis are.
I spoke to 10 different people with endometriosis and we had these incredible, raw, honest conversations about their different experiences.
Developing the first artwork
For my first piece, I made a charm necklace out of 10 different charms that were all objects that people associated with their experience of having endo.
For example, there was a pillow, there was a magnesium bottle. There were all these different things that felt like they should be honoured as charms, because they were medals of people’s experience and their bravery that aren’t really spoken about.
Finding inspiration in shared stories
For my next piece I made these barnacle-like structures because I spoke to one of my interviewees about the parallels between endometriosis and barnacles and these organic structures that stick together.
The third piece was inspired by a conversation that I had with one of the interviewees about how a doctor a long time ago had told her that she had bad plumbing as a result of endo.
This ridiculous slapstick analogy to having a debilitating condition was both very tragic and funny, so I wanted to channel that into a piece about endometriosis.
Ultimately, it would be incredible if these pieces helped people with endometriosis feel less alone. I would like it to contribute to a conversation of honesty and awareness around endometriosis.
Why creativity in healthcare matters
CW+ is a hospital charity that not only supports patients, but staff. They support wellness and the arts, which I’m very passionate about, and your donations go directly towards funding all of those things.
I have seen the impact that CW+ has on many lives, both as a patient myself and having this incredible line of treatment, and also working in the hospital and interacting with patients on a weekly basis and seeing how their lives are impacted by the incredible care that they get.
I don’t think people understand that until they go to hospitals themselves and see how incredible it is to have pictures on the walls, to interact with musicians, to do art while they’re staying in hospital.
I think, in people’s most vulnerable moments, care really matters and creativity really matters.
Your donation will go very, very far and it has the ability to change lives.
This project was commissioned by the CW+ Arts for All programme, which uses art and creativity as a tool to support health, aid recovery and improve the hospital environment.
Please do not reproduce without permission.
CW+ funds arts, design and wellbeing projects that help improve hospital environments and support patients, families and staff across Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
