“Mobile Wall System with 164 permanent pole positions on a square grid (After Adolf Krischanitz & Frederick Kiesler & John Madin) […]” (At the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital)

‘Gavin Wade

Mobile Wall System with 164 permanent pole positions on a square grid (After Adolf Krischanitz & Frederick Kiesler & John Madin), 2025

17 split panels (L&R) – hard wood (oak), oak veneer mdf and fire retardant formica

(5 x RAL 2000, 7 x RAL 9010, 5 x RAL 9005) 281.5×197.5x5cm

1 slatted split panel (L&R) – hard wood (oak) 281.5×197.5x5cm

32 powder coated aluminium poles 375x5x5cm

4 powder coated aluminium poles 340x5x5cm (for lower beam positions)

Stainless steel panel connectors and bolts, rubber washers

Class zero intumescent varnish system

164 floor sockets

164 ceiling sockets’

Function by Midland Metropolitan Hospital People’s Gallery.

Execution by Plane Structure (Matt Foster, Joe Welden, Suzi Osborn, Larissa Shaw, Ryley Morton), Room Food, Webb Yates Engineers, and Gavin Wade.’

Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, Sandwell

Gavin Wade’s Mobile Wall System with 164 permanent pole positions on a square grid (After Adolf Krischanitz & Frederick Kiesler & John Madin), (2025) is a new permanent support structure for the large People’s Gallery on the 5th floor of the new ‘super’ hospital in Smethwick, Sandwell. It builds on over twenty years of the Birmingham born artist-curator’s research and practice around ideas and forms of support and display to deliver an adaptable and very functional artwork.

On the edge of the huge Winter Garden space, which is the entrance level to access all points in the hospital, the People’s Gallery is an 88 metre long custom made space with views across the skyline of Birmingham. The 18 walls are an invitation to display artworks of all kinds, to curate exhibitions, events and happenings of all sorts in the hospital and there are 283 positions you can place the walls to get the most out of the bright and open gallery space. As well as being an exhibition resource for creative community activities in the hospital the walls speak to histories of local and international art practices, the innovations of artist run spaces and clean wipeable surfaces.

Commissioned by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, Supported by Arts Council England.