Sculptures at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, include high-tech laser-cut railings showing faces of people by Bruce Williams and Avril Wilson, one to celebrate the bicentenary by Eamonn O’Doherty and a playful one of a flying saucer.

Royal Hospital Sculptures Photos

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About Royal Hospital Sculptures

Along the Falls Road, are a series of sculptures made from the railings of the front of the Royal Victoria Hospital. This first one is outside the Children’s Hospital and shows a baby’s face. As it goes along the faces become older.

There are eleven faces in all. The high-tech, laser-cut sculptures depict immense DNA formations with concrete slabs behind them which create an interesting but complementary contrast.

Artists Bruce Williams and Avril Wilson were responsible for these railings made in 1999. Entitled Life Span they were inspired by the themes: Ordinary Lives and the Extraordinary Miracle of Life. The works of art which span from birth-100 years are also portraits of people associated with the Royal Victoria Hospital.

At the back, which is actually now the main entrance are two more sculptures. This one by the sculptor Eamonn O’Doherty celebrates the bicentenary of the Royal from 1797-1997. It was commissioned by the Arts and Environment Projects of the Royal Hospitals.

Finally, there is this playful looking one just outside the entrance to the children’s ward. It depicts a colourful flying saucer. There are no details about its author or date of execution, however, it’s also just the beginning of many other art projects to be found inside the building.

# Flying saucer (Extra-terrestrial Ambulance Service for Kids) was created by Peter Rooney.