{"id":5108,"date":"2025-06-02T09:37:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T09:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westnorfolkartists.org\/blog\/?p=5108"},"modified":"2025-06-15T14:42:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T14:42:00","slug":"judith-tyler-hills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westnorfolkartists.org\/blog\/2025\/06\/judith-tyler-hills\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on Judith Tyler Hills"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Baroque<\/a>

Baroque fumigation<\/p><\/div>\n

Judith Tyler Hills<\/strong> has shared this fascinating account of what inspires her art, particularly items from her collection of medical instruments and equipment!<\/p>\n

SHAPES, CURES AND QUACKS<\/p>\n

An enduring fascination with shapes and form colours the way I see and represent the world around me. From the magnificence of mountains, cliffs and crashing waves to the leafy splendour of pines, the lattice work of branches and the delicate veining of leaves.<\/p>\n

While the immense variety of shapes in the natural world never ceases to inspire me, it has been an abiding love affair with the structures and shapes of the built environment which has dominated much of my early work: writing and painting stimulated by a childhood spent amongst the \u201cpot banks\u201d (giant industrial kilns) the black man-made mountains of the slag heaps and graceful pit-head machinery, industrial cranes and the shimmering sizzling heat from the blast furnace at Shelton Bar.<\/p>\n

All of which brings me to my next passion and the subject of many of my latest paintings. During a working lifetime spent in health and research, I have amassed an amazing collection of medical memorabilia\u2026.more than enough for a small museum. And as always it was the shapes as much as appreciating the history which initially attracted me.<\/p>\n

Some, robust and forbidding forged in gleaming stainless steel, slender silver catheters (a metal known to be less invasive to the body) and beautifully shaped and exquisitely delicate ophthalmic instruments. Overall the collection bears testimony to human endeavour and experimentation, developing science and some downright quackery; the stuff of snake oil salesmen, faith healing and the trappings of pseudo science.<\/p>\n

A FESTIVAL OF SHAPE AND FORM<\/p>\n

This series of paintings is inspired by an extensive collection of antique medical instruments and assorted paraphernalia; some of significant historical interest, eg. celebrating the early recognition of \u201cgerm theory\u201d or the development of electrochemistry and electromagnetism in the use of Faradic* stimulation, and some of it out right quackery.
\nEach of these still life compositions tells their own story. I hope the brief accompanying notes will help to encapsulate some of this.<\/p>\n

The use of fire in the history of health care, from the flame used to heat substances to \u201ccure\u201d all manner of infectious diseases to that used to vaporise pungent chemicals to disinfect and fumigate the sickroom following fever, and before the use of chemical reagent strips, the flame of the Bunsen burner used to heat samples of urine to test for the presence of albumin. Over time attempts were made to use a variety of chemicals including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, mercury, flowers of sulphur and even domestic vinegar!<\/p>\n

These two gadgets depicted are antique fumigation\/vaporisation items. The first, a Baroque fantasia of form and decoration made of heavy metal coated with gold lacquer. It is inconceivable how this could ever have been sterilised! The second is a later iteration, the cleaner lines and steel and glass construction reflecting a more modern ideation of clinical efficiency. However, this is still pseudo science at best The fumigation substance would be applied, often sprayed onto furniture and fittings and the room sealed with heavy duty tape over doorways and window frames. The internal spirit lamp would be lit, and the equipment placed on a window ledge facing outwards. When the flame was no longer visible behind the magnifying lenses of the equipment, the wick would have burnt right down and the room was deemed to be safe to re enter.<\/p>\n

\"Subjugation\"<\/a>

Subjugation<\/p><\/div>\n

SUBJUGATION<\/p>\n

Pictured, a pair of obstetric forceps. Visually arresting in shape and size; this set is 38 cm in length and weighty with it; manufactured from heavy duty stainless steel. An item of equipment which epitomises the juxtaposition of power and weakness: the authority wielded by powerful men ( and so often in the past it was predominantly men) over women at their most vulnerable. This was an intervention always deemed in the best interest of mother and child; the mother frequently overawed and above all frightened, wanting only the safety of her unborn child. (The desired outcome shared by those administering the treatment.)<\/p>\n\n\t\t