Little Things by Roma Lestal

The RPA Museum Art Heritage Gallery presents Little Things by Sydney artist Roma Lestal.

Little Things refers to the small but meaningful things that make us happy; things that help us heal and make us feel cared for.

Numerous RPA patients generously shared their personal stories about the comforting personal items that gave them emotional support during their stay in hospital. Some little things include:

• a carefully painted portrait of a beloved pet dog

• a much-relied-on coffee pot

• a bespoke novelty cushion

• a ubiquitous mobile phone which provided much-needed communication between a mother and daughter

• a pair of favourite shoes

Little things also create a sense of community spirit and can provide a laugh, such as the delightful display of woollen dollies created by previous patients. There is also an image of the bust of presumably a very serious fellow, Fredrick Norton Manning, donning a mask and doing his bit to protect the community from COVID-19. Fredrick Norton Manning was appointed as a trustee of RPA in 1873, and was a medical practitioner, military surgeon, and Inspector General of the Insane for the Colony of New South Wales (1876 – 1898).

All works were created using gouache and coloured pencils on 300 gsm Semi Hot-Pressed Cotton Paper.

While visiting the exhibition, why not also browse the rest of the exhibits in the Museum including:

• a visual timeline of RPA

• exhibitions on dietetics, sterilisation, and nurses at war

• nursing and hospital memorabilia, including the gold probe reportedly used to locate the bullet fired at Prince Alfred during his 1868 assassination attempt

• an Amazing History Treasure Hunt activity booklet for the curious of all ages.

Find out more about the RPA Museum Art Heritage Gallery