Larger Than Life: Patients Join Celebrities in Project to Aid London’s Trinity Hospice
Patients and staff of SW London’s Trinity Hospice joined stars of stage, comedy and sport such as Kevin Spacey, Jeff Goldblum, Ricky Gervais, Jack Dee, Barry Humphries, Martin Johnson CB and Willie John McBride to participate in Larger Than Life, an outstanding exhibition of unusual photographic images designed to raise funds for the hospice.
The project is due to run for two years and more stars are joining all the time; Russell Brand, Paul Merton and Ian Hislop have already signed up to take part and discussions are currently taking place with world famous musicians.
Taking ‘life and laughter’ as his theme, renowned portrait photographer Rich Hardcastle is creating a series of remarkable black and white photographs that capture, slightly off guard, the personality and mood of the sitter during a reflective moment.
The celebrity then adds his or her personal message – a quote, a witty remark, or philosophical comment – to the original photograph and hand signs each of the 50 large (32 x 32 inches) limited edition prints that are subsequently produced.
Kevin Spacey’s quote reads:
Sometimes the person who is the most logical is the person whom we call insane.
whilst terminally ill outpatient Doreen Thompson says movingly:
Continue to live well, embrace diversity and reclaim the extraordinary life connections.
Alba Lewis, Director of Fundraising at Trinity
We feel that these photographs will enable the Hospice to discuss the serious issues of the end of life care and bereavement in an interesting and simple way. In effect, life and laughter is being used to fund a better way of dying. We hope to create a heightened awareness of the specialist palliative care that is available to terminally ill people, and their loved ones, as well as raise the funds to provide these services. It is fantastic that so many famous people are supporting Trinity and helping us to raise money in this unique way.
The limited edition prints, ranging in price from £400 to £500, are hand-signed and come mounted, ready for framing, and with a certificate of authenticity. These collectors’ items can be viewed and purchased online at Trinity Hospice’s website.
In addition, one special canvas edition of each print – signed and embellished by the celebrity subject – will be auctioned off when the Larger Than Life project comes to a close.
Rich Hardcastle is a prolific portrait photographer who possesses tremendous empathy for photographing people, engaging his subjects in an informal dialogue to produce mood-evoking images. His unconventional approach has led to him photographing some of the world’s leading television, music and film personalities, including Eddie Izzard, Orlando Bloom and Ricky Gervais. He commented:
I’m really pleased to be able to contribute towards such a worthwhile cause. Having visited Trinity Hospice I was struck by what a beautiful, positive environment exists there. This is something truly deserving of support.
The photographs will be on public exhibition, and available for purchase, across London for the remainder of 2008 and during 2009.
Catch the Larger Than Life exhibition:
- September 12-20: 39 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2.
- September 22-26 (Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm): Exchange Tower, Harbour Exchange, London E14 (Canary Warf).
- September 29 to October 10 (Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm): Bircham Dyson Bell, 50 Broadway, London SW1 (Victoria).
- October 6-12 (Monday – Friday, 8am-11pm): MoreChampagne, 5a More Place, London SE1 (Southwark).
- Further venues to be announced.
Trinity Hospice, a charity based on Clapham Common North Side, was established in 1891 and is the oldest organisation of its kind in the UK.
Trinity serves over ¾ million Londoners in a catchment area covering the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth, Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kingston, Richmond & Twickenham and Sutton & Merton.
It costs £8 million annually to provide, free of charge, over 2,000 terminally ill people and their loved ones support and care, within their own homes or at the Hospice.
Around 39% of the funding comes from the NHS which means that Trinity Hospice is dependent on voluntary contributions and fundraising for the remainder and could not function without the help received from friends in the community and in business.
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