The St. George's Vaccine Institute Mosaic

Created by Marion Brandis

The mosaic was commissioned from local Sussex artist Marion Brandis, who has provided other works at St. George's, to commemorate the official opening of the Institute by HRH The Princess Royal.

The image represents the concept of "protection" afforded by successful immunisation strategies to individuals, families and communities.

Elements of the immune system such as antigen presenting cells (processing viral particles), T and B cells are present in the child's dress. Bacterial culture plates are shown on the mother's shawl, highlighting the problems of pathogenic bacteria and increasing antibiotic resistance, while chains of streptococci adorn her collar and cuff. Hovering threateningly throughout the background blue tiles can be seen various insect vectors of protozoal, viral and other infection such as mosquitoes, ticks and flies.

The mosaic measures approximately 1 metre square, and can be seen in the lift lobby by the entrance to the Vaccine Institute in Ingleby House.

The artist describes the work thus:
"The Vaccine Unit is quite an intimate space. Here volunteers help in the development of new vacines, and the mural is celebrating the human contribution that goes into the research. The clothes of the the woman and the child show abstracted images of immunological reactions, and of the patterns cultures form in the Petrie dishes. The ceramics are hand-made and colourful, partly glazed and augmented with mosaic." [http://www.bamm.org.uk/ukeire/mosaic_art_of_marion_brandis.htm]