New sculpture unveiled at Wrexham Maelor Hospital

A new sculpture has been unveiled outside the main entrance at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

The sculpture is the work of award-winning artist Simon O’Rourke, who wanted to create something for both the hospital and the community.

It is carved from redwood and depicts community, care and healing through the hand, with the snake and staff being symbolic with healthcare through the ages.

Simon said: “I created the sculpture as a gift to the community and the location of the hospital is a significant one as I've been treated there numerous times myself over the years. Public art is important in any community, I hope this brings some meaning to people.

"Hands are a practical and personal connection between people. I wanted to symbolise the importance of hands in the medical field, between staff and patients.

“The hand sculpture is creased and worn looking giving a feel of a working hand, and the symbol on the palm is the oldest medical symbol in the world, dating back thousands of years. The staff and serpent symbols are found worldwide in the context of medicine to this day, making it a universally understood motif.

“The sculpture is made from a redwood tree that sadly had to be felled a couple of years ago in Welshpool, and it is always an honour to be able to give a tree another story by creating a sculpture.”

Dr Stephen Stanaway, Wrexham Maelor Hospital Medical Director, said: “I’m delighted on behalf of all colleagues at the Maelor to see this beautiful statue by Simon O’Rourke unveiled on our site. The fact that this is a gift from the artist to his own local hospital is just an illustration of how important a place our facility holds in the public view.

“The imagery it displays beautifully represents how healthcare is largely about hands, about human contact and about one human being interacting with and responding to the needs of another.

“I would like to thank Simon for his generous and donation to hospital. His gift will be treasured for many years.”

You can find out more about Simon and his work at https://treecarving.co.uk/