Scleroderma at The Royal Free Hospital - London

Scleroderma comic pen and markers, 2016 commission for the Royal Free Hospital, London

The drawings are inspired by my conversations with Professor Christopher Denton, Consultant Rheumatologist and Joint Director of the Centre for Rheumatology, Royal Free Hospital, about his work with Scleroderma and Raynaud’s phenomenon. I wanted to visually investigate the changes that happen in the body when a patient is suffering with Scleroderma. The name of the condition comes from the Greek, 'sclero' for hard, and 'derma' for skin. I began by thinking about how the surface of the skin becomes very sensitive to the cold, which led me to consider the structure close up. As the immune system starts to overwork and attempts to repair itself with inappropriate scar tissue formations I thought about the build up of layers and the tightening and hardening of skin and connective tissues. I wanted to think about how the surface of the skin is contorted and stretched over the bone and muscle.In severe cases the internal organs are effected and cause them to harden and function incorrectly. The portrayal of this in the form of calcification of rock forms, creates an internal/external landscape of the body. The panoramic format of the drawings enabled me to create an unfolding conversation of ideas for the viewer to explore as they move through the corridor.

This work is a continuation from my commission in 2013 to create 10 drawings inspired by my research at the Institute of Immunology and Transplantation, which can be seen within this building. With the assistance of Professor Hans Stauss, Head of Clinical Immunology at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, I have been able to continue my research and create this drawing.