Hospital art - Daruga Healing
Nepean Hospital department and service signage - Daruga Healing by Leanne Watson.
About the art
- Medium: Canvas
- Artist: Leanne Watson
- Year: 2020
Daruga Healing is about healing on country. The artwork conveys the feeling of safety and calmness and is a representation of the hospital doing its best to look after the people and families they treat. The use of the waratah flower symbolises coming together to heal.
The artwork is displayed on signs across the hospital, and features Darug language with English explanations. The signs have been installed at the entry points of key services and units to help make the new hospital more culturally inclusive and welcoming to Aboriginal patients and families.
Artist bio
Leanne Watson is a Darug woman commonly known in the Aboriginal community as Mulgo, meaning Black Swan. The daughter of Aunty Edna Watson and Uncle Allan Watson, elders of the Darug community, Leanne was born and raised in Sydney. She is now a mother and grandmother and has spent her life living, promoting and protecting Darug culture, people and places.
An artist, educator and book illustrator, she started painting at a young age, taught by her mother Aunty Edna Watson and her brother Bundeluk Watson. Now an accomplished and highly sought-after artist, her paintings and artwork are renowned by many. Leanne’s artwork is inspired by her family, Darug country, the environment and life experience.
Signage within Nepean Hospital
| Department/Service name | Darug name |
|---|---|
| Antenatal | gurung butbut bayi |
| Birthing Suite | guwi ngaya |
| Cancer Care | darimi nangamay biyanili |
| Car Parking | walawa |
| Childcare Service | gulyangarri nula |
| Cleaning Services | yaragali |
| Day Surgery Unit | gamarabu |
| Emergency Department | dyi ngaya burbangana |
| Endoscopy | na wurrungwuriwa |
| Gastroenterology | banga bulbuwul wurrungwuriwa |
| Hospital | biyanili ngurra |
| Inpatient Unit | yurawa wurrungwuri biyanili |
| Intensive Care Unit | budyarigu biyanili |
| Maternity Unit | wiyanga gurung |
| Medical Oncology | biyanili banga budyari |
| Neonatal Intensive Care | gurungra djurali biyanili |
| Neurology | bulbuwul ngara murura |
| Operating Theatres | ngurang bangali biyani |
| Pharmacy | wiyanga bamul banga |
| Radiation Oncology | banga guwing budyari madung |
| Recovery | muruba budyari gumada |
| Respiratory | budyari bumbi |
| Short Stay Unit | gurungra ngurang |
| Special Care Nursery | baru mayalya |
| Thoracic | bangali budyari biba |