Fay Ballard exhibition comes to Charing Cross

Fay Ballard exhibition comes to Charing Cross

17 May 2017

Imperial Health Charity, which manages the art collection at all five Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust hospitals, has organised the display which runs until October.

Ballard studied History of Art as an undergraduate at the University of Sussex and in 2006 she completed an MA in Fine Art at Central Saint Martins. In her career, she has worked at the Museum of London, Royal Academy of Arts and Tate.

The works on display include three of Fay Ballard’s Memory Boxes. Each shows an array of beautifully observed objects including those found by Ballard on return to her childhood home after the death of her father, J.G. Ballard, in 2009. Other works demonstrate her interest in nature, such as Homage to Durer, a tribute to Albrecht Dürer’s masterpiece Great Piece of Turf (1503), a meticulous observation of wild flowers.

Ballard says of this exhibition: “I am delighted to be able to share my work with patients, visitors and staff at Charing Cross Hospital. Coming to hospital can be an anxious time and I hope that my drawings bring some comfort, joy and beauty. The NHS is our national treasure and what better place to exhibit than here.”

Her works have been displayed in the Huntington Library and Art Collections in Los Angeles, New Hall Art Collection and Winsor and Newton. She was commissioned by HRH The Prince of Wales to paint watercolours for his estate in the Cotswolds and in 2007 was elected to the Royal Watercolour Society.

She’s also an active supporter of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and holds weekly art workshops for patients undergoing dialysis at Hammersmith Hospital. Her deep art historical knowledge and conversations with patients has led to a beautifully written and illustrated blog: imperialhealthcharity.wordpress.com