Patrick Comerford
I was recalling on Thursday ‘The One and The Many’, a large sculpture by Peter Randall-Page beside the recently-restored Fitzrovia Chapel in Pearson Square, London. He sculpted ‘The One and The Many’ ten years ago (2015) from a naturally eroded Bavarian granite boulder, and it is a reminder of humanity’s shared search for the meaning of creation and our origins, a celebration of human ingenuity and imagination.
The one work in Milton Keynes by Peter Randall-Page with which I am familiar is his sculpture ‘After the Winter’. It was bought in 1981 by the Milton Keynes NHS Trust in anticipation of the opening of the new hospital.
I cannot count the number of times over the past three years or more I have walked past this striking work in a small courtyard space near the Eaglestone Restaurant, one of many that offer a quiet oasis to people on the hospital site.
Peter Randall-Page is inspired by organic forms, and the impact his work can have on our emotions, with their allusions to growth and development, resonate especially well within a health care setting.
‘After the Winter’ is made from Carrara marble. It has a delicate ribbed texture and detailing across the entire surface, evidencing the artist’s handiwork. The form appears to twist and ‘grow’ up towards the light that infiltrates the surrounding architecture.
However, life weather outside took its toll on ‘After the Winter’ over the years. With the passage of time, It had become weathered, the original colour had darkened, and the brick foundation within the courtyard had become unstable.
With financial support from Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Milton Keynes Hospital Charity in 2021-2022, Arts for Health MK engaged specialist museum standard conservators Taylor Pearce Ltd to extensively clean the artwork.
A new foundation pad was also made to elevate the sculpture within the courtyard, so it can be seen to its best effect. And the Creative Courtyard volunteers have been given support to help keep it looking at its best.
Peter Randall-Page has an international reputation for his large-scale sculptures, drawings, and prints inspired by geometric forms and patterns from nature. He has undertaken numerous large-scale commissions and exhibited widely. He was elected a Royal Academician in 2015. His work is in public collections world-wide, including the Tate Gallery, British Museum and the Eden Project, and, of course, beside the Fitzrovia Chapel in Pearson Square, London.
Commenting on the recent restoration of ‘After the Winter’, Peter Randall-Page said: ‘I can hardly believe that its 40 years since I made this work for MK Hospital! I’m delighted to see it looking so pristine after its recent expert cleaning. I hope it has benefitted many staff, patients and visitors over the years, offering a sculptural focal point for reflection and contemplation, and that it continues to do so in future.’
Arts for Health MK supports people’s health and wellbeing in Milton Keynes, both through the care and curation of the hospital’s Art Collection and through its creative programmes. Meanwhile, work continues on an extensive cleaning and conservation programme for the sculptures within the hospital’s Art Collection to ensure they can be enjoyed by the public for generations to come.
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