PATIENTS undergoing life-saving surgery would have been blissfully unaware of Cornwall's most successful living artist scribbling in the corner of the room.

The artistry of a surgical team is the subject of the latest remarkable series of paintings by Kurt Jackson.

Mr Jackson has managed to capture the mystery of proceedings, the incredible teamwork and the fierce concentration that take place behind the normally closed doors of the operating theatre.

The results were unveiled last night at the Knowledge Spa of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. All of the proceeds from painting sales will go to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) which delivers emergency medical aid to people in disaster zones.

At the opening, Mr Jackson said: "I think we are all quite inquisitive about this world of surgery. I'm always keen to put myself in a new situation that people haven't painted before."

The artist admitted to a certain anxiety relating to how he would deal with the blood and guts laid out before him in the operating theatre.

"There was a degree of trepidation as to whether I could cope with that and perform at the same time. I was scrubbed and given a gown and a mask and I was so fascinated and absorbed by the performance in front of me that I didn't have time to suffer any distaste or squeamishness," he said.

"I am now full of admiration for the skill and confidence of these people – the surgeons and nurses that save and prolong lives with their knowledge and care."

Mr Jackson was recording the work of Truro's upper gastro-intestinal surgical team which is currently at the centre of a storm of controversy over the threat of centralisation and a removal of services to Plymouth.

Commenting on the situation, Mr Jackson said: "There's maybe a case where certain political characters are making decisions for their own careers rather than for the benefit of this place and the patients here."

The exhibition came about through Mr Jackson's friendship with Paul Peyser, who heads the surgical team in the upper gastro-intestinal unit.

Mr Peyser said that the project sprung from a conversation at a dinner party about St Ives artist Barbara Hepworth's work detailing ear surgery in the 1960s.

He said: "We tucked him away in the corner and he works very quickly. What comes through for me is the focus on the teamwork and the concentration on a certain point. Surgery is an art form – it's not called a theatre for nothing."

The exhibition, which runs until November 7, has been organised by Lemon Street Gallery in Truro, who represent Kurt Jackson.

The collection is expected to raise thousands of pounds for MSF. Each painting is priced at £3,500, with drawings at £650.

Sam Knight, from MSF, offered his thanks to everyone involved in the project and said the organisation's work is being highlighted at the moment in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"While other aid organisations are pulling out we're sending in more people," he said.

"We wouldn't be able to do the work without people doing things like this."

Medecins Sans Frontieres   www.msf.org/

Western Morning News  www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk

Medical marvels

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

A FRIENDSHIP spanning more than two decades has paved the way for an innovative collaboration between acclaimed Cornwall-based artist Kurt Jackson, a hospital surgeon and his theatre team and Medecins Sans Frontieres.

The result is an exciting new collection of works entitled Theatre Five on show at the Knowledge Spa, in Truro.

"The idea of Kurt taking inspiration for his painting from a hospital theatre is something we've both talked about before, but which only finally came to fruition early last year," explained Paul Peyser, consultant surgeon at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust.

"It was an enlightening experience for us all and my colleagues and patients were happy to have Kurt in theatre with us.

"Needless to say, his paintings are highly sought after and I am sure this collection will be of particular interest to collectors here in Cornwall as well as among the wider medical fraternity and art enthusiasts, too."

A break away from his familiar territory of the landscape and the environment, the Theatre Five collection has given Kurt Jackson an exclusive insight to the 'secret world' behind theatre doors.

In his description of the collection Kurt Jackson writes: "There was of course some trepidation – would I cope with the sights and smells of an operation, would I be able to work freely in that disinfected and sanitized and confined space?

"How could I throw my paint around as usual? I had visions of my paint landing on the patient accompanied by the screams of horrified nurses.

"In the event it was all perfect – I took some mints to camouflage any unbearable odours but they weren't required; the operating team lent me a trolley for my materials – I was told where to stand; I was scrubbed and given a gown and a mask. I was so fascinated and absorbed by the 'performance' in front of me that I didn't have time to suffer any distaste or squeamishness."

Kurt added: "The paintings do seem to capture that extraordinary teamwork – all eyes and hands around some fantastic colour under the spotlight.

" I am now full of admiration for the skill and confidence of these people – the surgeons and nurses that save and prolong lives with their knowledge and care."

The exhibition has been organised by Lemon Street Gallery in Truro, who represent Kurt Jackson, and the collection is expected to raise thousands of pounds for Medicines Sans Frontieres who are destined to receive all of the proceeds from sales.

Paul Peyser added: "All of the team in Theatre Five are particularly pleased that the paintings will generate donations for such a worthwhile cause."

The exhibition at the Knowledge Spa runs from Tuesday to November 7 and is open to public viewing on two afternoons only, between 4 and 6pm, on Tuesday and Thursday, November 6.

For catalogues, more information and sales contact Lemon Street Gallery on 01872 275757 or e-mail info@lemonstreetgallery.co.uk

www.lemonstreetgallery.co.uk