Michael Ziga
London Landscapes, 2024
Watercolour and ink on paper
Mortuary, viewing room and waiting room, Newham Hospital
Michael Ziga was commissioned to create a suite of works for the Viewing Room of the Mortuary at Newham Hospital. This area is where the family of a deceased patient sees the body of their loved one for the last time.
Aware of the acutely sensitive nature of this space, the artist sought to depict landscapes found across Newham and east London, hoping to offer familiarity and comfort to grieving families.
Ziga painted them “en plein air” as he cycled around discovering areas of beauty near the hospital—places where the departed and their families might have spent time together. The ephemeral images capture the abstract essence of the city, allowing family members to reminisce about shared experiences with the loved ones.
As part of his technique, the artist drew the brushstroke outlines to emphasise the gestural aspects of the painting, as a way of demystifying the process. The pastoral pictures create vistas in these windowless spaces, providing emotional reprieve without overwhelming grieving families.
Along with these works, Ziga created an additional painting especially for the Cold Room where bodies are refrigerated—and which is accessible only to staff. This painting is less representational than the rest of the series, providing NHS workers, who will see the artwork everyday, with a more enigmatic image.
Michael Ziga, born 1993, received a BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City. He currently lives and works in London. He has exhibited in Paris, New York and Seoul.
