Li

The installation pays homage to the care giving environment that once existed for patients at the hospital and makes reference to ‘the shed’ -a kitchen located in an unused ward. The ward became the locus for resident psychiatrist Dr. John Cade’s important research and early experiments with lithium salts in the 1940s. The elements of the installation coalesce to shine a light on the biography of a doctor whose work would alter the course of treatment for people with bipolar disorder.

Image: Study for Li, Shannon Lyons. Digital photography courtesy of the artist 2020.