Let’s unravel the complex relationship between art and our emotional state. It may not always deliver a sense of comfort, as at times, art can disturb, agitate, and exasperate. It can stir up fury and ignite a desire for transformation. Throughout history, art has been an integral part of health, healing, and overall well-being.
Donald Teskey, a name etched in the honour rolls of winners of the much-coveted Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Art Award, emerges as the victor of its ninth edition. The laurel also serves as a gateway for Teskey to walk in the hall of fame alongside past champions such as Remco de Fouw, the pioneer laureate, as well as Amelia Stein, Miranda Blennerhassett, Domino Whisker, Colin Davidson, Mary A Kelly, Colin Martin, and Stephen Murphy. Owing to this accolade, the triumphant artist is rewarded with not just a monetary prize but also a coveted chance to contribute to the RCSI collection.
The intertwining of art and health dates back to prehistoric times and is not a contemporary phenomenon. Before advancements like microscopes, and X-rays, renowned artist-anatomists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci wielded their artistic prowess to dive deep into the workings of the human body. They dared to peer under the skin with a dual purpose: to fathom the intricate operating mechanisms of the body, and to elevate their skills in drawing and sculpting the human form. In the 19th-century scenario, Ireland saw a surge in medical practitioners who were also anatomical artists like Joseph Maclise.
This fusion of art and health often feeds both realms. Forerunners like Waterford Healing Arts are fervently engaging in the investigation of art’s impact on patients in healthcare atmospheres. Meanwhile, educators and professionals like Irwin Braverman from Yale School of Medicine and Brenda Moore McCann of Trinity College Dublin have initiated programs emphasizing art appreciation among budding doctors, allowing them to perceive beyond the visible and consequently sharpen their diagnostic skills.
Launched in 2016, the RCSI award pays homage to this interconnected history while simultaneously highlighting the institution’s alliance with its proximate collaborator, the Royal Hibernian Academy. The selection of the winning artist reinforces the belief that optimal health is an amalgam of medicine, science, art, individuality, nature, and the environment. It succinctly upholds the philosophy that effective healthcare extends beyond the physical, embracing a holistic approach that factors in overall well-being.
Teskey has been awarded for his artwork, Orchestral II. It was picked as the best from five nominated pieces for this year’s RHA Annual, making the achievement quite impressive. The work shares the award list with John Behan’s Cubist Bull, Liam Belton’s Homage to Paint and Protest, Eileen Leonard Sealy’s At the Starlit Sill I Let them Draw Near and The Wait by Sadhbh Mowlds. Despite not being a straightforward depiction of health, the selection of Orchestral II brings a fascinated twist to the award.
This particular painting by Teskey showcases the profuse growth of green butterbur plants along the River Dodder banks in Dublin, more specifically around Bushy Park; a location just a stone’s throw from his studio in Dublin. The Dodder, once famously unclean, has been the centerpiece of conservation efforts from locals and community organizations, although there’s still a lot to be done to fully restore it.
The artist’s affinity to the river has primarily been because of its proximity. The pandemic further magnified this focus, tying him closer to his surroundings. He has been crafting paintings inspired by the Dodder ever since 2017, often taking his sketchpad on his strolls to capture the sudden vibrant lushness summer brings. “It’s a haven full of plants and animals. The lighting is just breathtaking. It’s typical to spot amateur photographers on standby for shots of kingfishers. Many individuals derive great joy from being in such a beautiful environment.”
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus), the focal plant of the painting, is native and derived its name from its former usefulness in wrapping and cooling butter before refrigeration. It historically carried other names like “plague flower” and “pestilence wort,” owing to beliefs that it held healing properties during detrimental pandemics in the past. Butterbur has a broad history in folklore as a therapeutic plant. John Gerarde, an English herbalist from the 1500s, advocated for it as a remedy for the plague, stating that it encouraged perspiration and purged the heart of all toxins and harmful heat. Besides, it eliminated worms and healed unpleasant, filthy ulcers when its powdered root was sprinkled on them.
In the 17th century, Nicholas Culpeper, a known physician and herbologist, advocated for the substantial use of butterbur. He endorsed it as a potent tonic for the heart and a booster for the ‘vital spirits’. Taken as a powder mixed with wine, it served as an antidote against toxins. Additionally, the root, when powdered and mixed with wine, effectively dealt with short breaths and acne.
In her 1931 publication, “A Modern Herbal,” Maud Grieve indicated the potency of butterbur in love divination. For a single woman, the ritual required sowing the seeds in solitude, 30 minutes before sunrise on a Friday. However, Grieve highlighted the audacity and desperation attached to this ritual. Niall Mac Coitir, in his 2006 published writing, “Irish Wild Plants,” credited butterbur with its therapeutic values in traditional medicine. It induced sweat to eliminate plagues and fevers. Irish folkloric medicine highlights its use, specifically in the regions of Co Mayo and Co Limerick, to alleviate rheumatism. The leaves of butterbur, which often reached up to a metre in diameter, would sprout unexpectedly in spring.
Teskey gained initial fame from his portrayals of city landscapes and dramatic seascapes featuring storm-tossed rocks. However, the recent pandemic shifted his focus back to his local surroundings, specifically the riverbank. Exploring the medicinal history of butterbur became his next venture. He preferred capturing the riverbank in his sketchbook or camera over creating art on a portable easel.
His exploration lies in the forms and patterns that emerge, the way the light interacts with the landscape, and the faint hint of architectural structures in the background. He points out the suburban nature of the river. He isn’t trying to portray an escape into the wild, for there is plenty around. Unaware initially, his immersion in the paintings led to the discovery of the healing properties of butterbur.
In sharp contrast with his urban and seaside works, this year’s RHA Annual saw Teskey’s canvases almost vivaciously verdant, an unwavering and possibly well-received nudge that nature is resilient, given it has sufficient time, room and attention to heal. How does hue factor in? What shift does he experience after a day doused in green, as opposed to hues of grey or blue? “I believe so,” shares Teskey, who last year sought solitude in Callan, Co Kilkenny, at the RHA’s Tony and Jane O’Malley Residential Studio. “It served as a chance to be amidst the trees, to decelerate. Encounters with other individuals were minimal,” continues the artist, a native of Limerick.
Contrastingly, while various landscape artists lure the viewer with soothing paths, Teskey’s portfolio from that phase capture the golden glow seeping through shadowy trees, sprawling ground cover emphasising that even as this setting is awe-inspiring, we are only guests in this realm of nature that doesn’t necessarily belong to us or beckons us.
Teskey’s name emerged as an auction buzzword in the fleeting frenzy of the Irish art market pre-collapse. Taking his time has become crucial to him. “Those were exhilarating times,” he reminisces subtly. His exhibits at the dearly missed Rubicon gallery were consistently a hot commodity, and despite multiple endeavours from both the artist and gallery owner, the artworks often found new owners through auctions. It was intoxicating, yet, he opines, “It’s preferable at a slower pace. There’s ample time and I have also ripened in the process. I’m not as apprehensive anymore.”
He candidly discusses how fortunate he has been – his work continues to be sought-after, despite facing turbulent times during the economic downturn and the closure of Rubicon. As of now, he exihibits his works with Oliver Sears. There’s been a point when he was bewildered by the acclaim his works received, and he does feel a certain unease when individuals purchase ‘a Teskey’, not for the unique attributes of a certain piece but for the brand. Yet, the essence of his work has always held immense importance to him. “An image that’s still embedded in my mind,” he shares, “is a moment during my early schooling when my teacher praised my sketch hung on the wall. Reflecting on it today, I sense that it was the first instance of my self-awareness.”
A collection of books and vinyl records are sprawled across the wall in his studio. Occasionally, jazz tunes help stimulate a creative streak during his work process. His creation usually initiates with an orderly, accurate piece to identify contours, which he later deconstructs, allowing the intrinsic substance to emerge. He remarks that from a distance, his work’s subject is evident, but a closer inspection reveals an intricate web of brush strokes.
There’s a certain parallel between art and medicine, yet they diverge as well – the detailed observation, an intent to comprehend, followed by a sudden plunge into emotions or the details of a diagnosis. Medicine, too, involves these spontaneous bounds, encompassing trial runs, significant advancements, and potential prospects. And that’s the significance of this appreciation and Teskey’s piece Orchestral II – not primarily due to the historical medical uses of its theme but due to the genuine richness of its content. It helps us look beyond the immense potential uses of the flora for medicine, to perceive the inherent beauty of nature, the inestimable worth of an unspoiled green enclave, thriving alongside a nondescript suburban river, offering pleasure to all, and additionally disseminating benefits.