Flowers is a group of twenty-six colorful flowers located in five ceiling alcoves throughout the new emergency room addition at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The artwork will create a welcoming environment for young patients. The goal of the artwork is to make patients feel comfortable as they move through the hospital by replacing the clinical atmosphere with moments of optimism and cheer. The artwork also acts as a method for wayfinding as visitors, patients and staff move throughout the space.

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Composed of vibrantly colored petals, the sculptures evoke child-like representations of flowers, propellers, pinwheels, and other abstract radial forms. The monumental scale of the installations creates a sense of wonder and awe for visitors of all ages, but especially young children. The artwork evokes a vibrant and hopeful feeling within what is typically a cold, clinical hospital setting.

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Date:

2017

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Location:

Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ

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Dimensions:

range from 15” to 92” in diameter

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Media:

colored acrylic, steel

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Commissioning Agency: 

Phoenix Children's Hospital

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Artist:

Joe O'Connell