Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hello Mr Gregory

My name is Paddy Hartley and I'm a visual artist based in London. I am writing to you with the hope that you may be able to provide me with some information and/or advice. This is going to be a lengthy email so maybe get yourself a cup of tea and I'll explain all.

I have just put together and received major funding to work in response and tell the stories of Commonwealth Servicemen who served during WW1 who suffered horrific facial injuries and their subsequent treatment by Sir Harold Gillies at Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup on the outskirts of London and Im looking to make contact with the RSL Head office but Im struggling to find any such base organisation. I see there are many regional branches but Im looking to contact ther HO.

I'm looking to exhibit the work Im making which depicts the individual stories of some of these servicemen in a major space at a contemporary art gallery/museum specifically in Australia between 2007/8 and I am also looking to gain support to tour the show I am about to elaborate upon. First can I tell you about the origins of the work I'm aiming to show and then I'll tell you about the work which specifically relates to an Australian audience.

Since September 2003 I have been working as Artist in Residence at Guy's Hospital, Kings College London in the Dept of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery with Biomaterials Scientist Dr Ian Thompson. It's here that I've been collaborating with Dr Thompson making facial corsets that temporarily alter the structure of the wearers face. These garments mimic specific cosmetic surgery techniques and the aesthetic of the garments match the facial ideals of the time to which they respond.

I also work with Dr Thompson making Bioactive glass facial implants to repair facial injuries to the skull. We are the only team in the world producing these pioneering implants to repair patient specific injuries. To our knowledge, our collaborative partnership is unique in that the input of and artist is directly developing pioneering treatments that are being used.

A new collaborator has joined our team, Dr Andrew Bamji from Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup. He is the Curator of The Gillies Archive which documents the pioneering facial reconstruction work of New Zealander Sir Harold Gillies during the First World War. The Archive holds over 2000 patient records of servicemen from the UK, Australia & New Zealand who suffered horrific facial injuries as a result of the trench warfare they had to endure during WW1.

There are two very important elements to the archive. First, they document by photograph, artist sketch and written notes, the ground breaking surgical techniques developed by Gillies and his team which laid the foundations for all modern day facial reconstruction. Secondly, the archive holds a number of personal items, written testimony of the servicemen themselves which adds a whole other dimension to the archive which makes it a unique medical and social record.

Over the next two years I will continue to make the implants with Dr Thompson but the main focus of the project involves my making sculptural garments which focus on particular servicemen and the extraordinary circumstances they found themselves in. The garments, which will be fully wearable, shall illustrate the particular surgical techniques developed for their specific injury (which often involved the transfer of large sections of bone and skin from other parts of the patient's body. They will also incorporate printed textile and embroidered reproductions of photographs, sketches and surgical notes for that patient. I will also be producing a series of large photographic pieces of the garments being work. These images, along with all contextual information will be on printed textile and Dr Bamji has agreed that as long as security can be guaranteed, he is willing to loan out original archive material for such a show.

Whilst in Sydney in April 2003 speaking at the Body Modification Conference at Macquarie University, I made a series of National TV, Radio and printed press appearances to talk about our work (The 'Today' Programme, Radio National's 'The Deep End etc) so we feel the basic foundation to return to Australia and exhibit on larger scale have already been laid. We have been invited back to Macquarie next April for the second Body Modification Conference and during our visit, we would like to meet with potential venues who express an interest in showing the work and telling the stories of these servicemen.

I would really appreciate your thoughts and advice in any way shape or form Mr Gregory and please feel free to forward this email onto anyone else who you think may be interested in what we are doing or who might be able to offer advice.

So, thank you for ploughing through that Mr Gregory (I bet you need a cup of tea now!). I really hope to hear from you soon.

Best Wishes and take care.

Paddy Hartley
Artist in Residence,
Oral Maxillo-facial Surgery,
Guy's Hospital
King's College London

Hello Paddy,

Thank you for your interesting E-Mail, I am pleased to help in any way I can.

I will send you three sites:

1. The Structure of the RSL in Australia, which will list all the office holders at both the National ans State level.
2. The home page for our Veterans Affairs Department in Australia, you will find the Minister's home page there, she is the Honourable Danna Vale, and contact with the Minister's office might be  helpful for you, I would suggest that you let her office know about your project.
3. The Australian War Memorial site, it is one of the best War museums around. I suggest that you contact the Director at the AWM, and again acquaint him with your hopes and plans.

These three areas should set you on your way, and if I am able to assist you further, please do not hesitate to yell.

Best wishes,
Mac. Gregory.

Hello again Mr Gregory, (26 July 2004)

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all that really useful information, It'll be a real help. Ill
craft a couple of very specific emails to the places and people you suggested once I have done a bit of research into them and I'll let you know how I get on over the next week or so.

Please, if  can return the favour, give me a yell too!

Take care Mac.

Paddy Hartley

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