An ‘Art’felt Thank You
Local artist Olivier Jamin has donated 3 pieces of art to BCHC Charity to say thank you to the NHS staff and key workers who have helped care for the population of Birmingham, as well as further thanks for every NHS & key worker nationally, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Olivier, who has been Deaf since birth, is a Birmingham-based, award-winning contemporary artist who specialises in hand-drawn multi-coloured art, as well as creating digital arts, mixed media arts and photography, which he also sells online via his social media accounts. He is also a Community Champion for the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), where he uses his experience as a Deaf person to support in providing feedback and views from deaf focus groups to help improve and develop their own videos to better suit Deaf and hard of hearing people to access and understand the role of the MCA.
At his visit to Moseley Hall Hospital in September 2021, Olivier said, “Over the last 18 months, I have donated various original hand-drawn artworks to many hospices. My ongoing support to the NHS and key workers through these difficult times of COVID-19 is with the aim of brightening their space for all visitors, staff and patients who can enjoy looking at the artwork every day.”
Olivier was inspired by the Clap for Carers to create visual representations of thanks to the key workers and NHS staff that have worked so hard to during the pandemic. “Last year, on a Thursday at 8pm, everyone clapped and made noise in the streets to show their thanks to all the NHS and key workers. I decided to create my own artwork and express my thanks to everyone making an effort to fight coronavirus”, he explains. “I am deaf, and I wanted to translate our emotions into a visual form.” The three pieces donated to BCHC will be displayed at Priestley Wharf, Moseley Hall Hospital, and the Dental Hospital, and were designed to reflect both the rainbow symbol of hope and the blue of the NHS, whilst also taking inspiration from local street art in Digbeth.
BCHC Chief Executive Richard Kirby and Non Executive-Director Jenny Belza gave thanks to Olivier at the official handover which took place at Moseley Hall Hospital on Tuesday 21st September 2021. “Colleagues right across the NHS have done so much in the last 18 months and I think this is a fantastic way of saying thank you, and helping us to say thank you to our colleagues, so we will make sure they get pride of place.’’ Fundraising Assistant Stacey Taylor adds, “Although the past 18 months have been incredibly difficult, it has been so heart-warming to see the public support for NHS staff and key workers, as well as to BCHC Charity itself. Olivier’s artwork is a beautiful reminder of the generous, compassionate, and supportive spirit shown throughout the pandemic.”
BCHC Charity would like to thank Olivier for his incredible kindness in donating these wonderful works of art; we are sure they will be greatly appreciated by BCHC colleagues, service users and visitors for years to come.
Olivier has been involved in many projects, such as; Public Arts with Grand Central Birmingham, solo exhibition with John Lewis Birmingham & Leeds, and the live arts colouring pen on fabric banner with Victoria Leeds & Midlands Arts Centre to name a few. He has recently been shortlisted, along with Christina Wheeler (hearing film-maker) for IPSEs Collaboration Awards, as well as being a part of Gloucester History Festival who are the winners of the Museum and Heritage Award for the Pandemic Pivot Award 2021. He was a judge at the Young DeafFest Art Competition at the DeafFest annual event in 2019. To find out more about Olivier and his artwork, visit www.ojart.net or take a look at his Instagram.