Choreographer Charmene Yap,artist Lauren Brincat and sound artist Evelyn Ida Morris with dancers near the Prince of Wales Hospital,ahead of their live performance on Wednesday to honour health workers.Credit:Louise Kennerley
After speaking to hundreds of people,what she learnt was that healthcare workers simply wanted to debrief from their shift. They were grateful that someone was there to listen to and nourish them.
Randwick’s healthcare workforce is made up of 80 per cent women and,despite the area being a 24-hour precinct,many of the night shift nurses told Brincat they couldn’t get a meal or decent coffee after midnight. More importantly,they didn’t feel safe going out late and moving through the campus streets after dark.
The cafe was part of a year-long research project,commissioned by Randwick Health&Innovation Precinct with Transport for NSW’s Safer Cities program,which is investing $30 million over two years to help improve perceptions of safety in our cities and towns,particularly for women,girls and gender diverse people.
The culmination of the research is a site-specific work Brincat has created to engage the local community and create a more communal and safer environment,through art.
Artist Lauren Brincat with dancers and cotton sculptures near the Prince of Wales Hospital,ahead of Wednesday’s performance to honour healthcare workers.Credit:Louise Kennerley
She is a multidisciplinary,collaborative artist who has recently worked with Spanish choreographer Marina Mascarell for the Sydney Dance Company and performance artist Mike Parr at this year’s Adelaide Festival.
Brincat was particularly moved to learn about Code Lavender,an international hospital code adopted recently by Prince of Wales Hospital in which a public announcement alerts healthcare workers to stop and gather together for a brief moment before resuming their shifts.