On the initiative of hospital staff and the A.M.I.GO association, Laurent Pernot created a work installed in the reception hall of Saint-Malo Hospital on 22 June 2021, on the occasion of National Organ Donation and Transplant Awareness Day and in recognition of donors.
It was important to the new patrons that this work be a tribute to life and encourage calm discussion on the subject. Since ancient times, bas-reliefs have had a narrative function, glorifying heroes and gods as well as anonymous citizens. The universal values of optimism and solidarity addressed by Re-vivre make it a work that is much richer than a simple thank you to donors.
The work will associate organ donation with the gift of life, a form of human solidarity. It must reflect the values of self-sacrifice and altruism. It must be a sign of hope; it must attract attention, arouse interest and raise questions. However, considering that organ removal is a minority activity in relation to the hospital’s overall activities, the work should avoid being spectacular and monumental; it will find a subtle contrast between visibility and modesty.
We see two forearms coming together, emerging from a plaque inscribed with the words: ‘The transmission of life is the immense gift that has allowed me, a stranger, to live again’. Those are the words of an anonymous transplant recipient written in gold leaf in the style of a commemorative plaque. These two hands brushing against each other, in a gesture of restraint, support, compassion, transmission and care, open up the field of interpretation and take on different meanings depending on each person’s experience and sensitivity. It was important to the new patrons that this work be a tribute to life and that it invite peaceful discussion on the subject.
