Games at Booran Reserve
Games at Booran Reserve, 2017
Oil on canvas
81 x 102 cm
Donated through the Cultural Gifts Program
St Vincent’s Art Collection
Anne Graham's playful painting Games at Booran Reserve features elements that support viewing by those living with dementia at the unit. Some of these preferred features include clear, high contrast images, larger scale works, familiar scenes or landmarks and works where there is opportunity to reminisce. This painting from 2017 meets all of the preferred elements and is filled with many vignettes of life within it.
Games of Booran Reserve hangs in the Ellerslie Unit of St George's (part of St Vincent's) in Kew.
Anne Graham’s works celebrate beauty and joy. Born in Vienna, she and her family emigrated to Australia in 1939.
The artist’s highly recognisable works can be found in private and public collections around Australia and internationally. One of her most known paintings captures the green heart of Melbourne, the Royal Botanic Gardens. The triptych, A Garden for all Seasons is housed at the Arts Centre, Melbourne and is treasured by the people of the city and beyond.
Two artworks by the artist have been donated to the St Vincent’s Art collection through the Cultural Gifts Program and one is on loan. The placement and location of each work from the collection is thoughtfully considered by the art curator Monique Silk. When the Ellerslie Unit at St Georges contacted Monique for a dementia friendly selection of new works, a recent donation of Anne Graham’s paintings came to mind.
"We are delighted to have Graham’s work displayed in our collection. Her work provides a portal into our everyday worlds with added pattern, shape and colour. These art works provide a joyful moment for all who view them in our hospital spaces."
Monique Silk, Art Curator
The Bathers
The Bathers
Oil on canvas
120 x 180 cm
Loan from Cotham Gallery
Another work by the centenarian is displayed at Caritas Christi Hospice Kew.
The Bathers describes perspectives at a beach using vivid, bursts of colour. These artworks that celebrate life can offer moments of reflection or recollection in a patient, staff or family member’s day. Sometimes artworks like Anne Graham’s are like friends and are there just when we need them, or to pause and just be with.
