Call for Expressions of Interest: Digital Graphic Novel Publication. 100 years of facial surgery.

Background: Since 2002, Artist Paddy Hartley has researched and produced artistic responses to the lives of WW1 servicemen who underwent facial reconstruction at the hand of pioneering surgeon Sir Harold Gillies, considered to be the founder of modern day plastic surgery. The new iteration of this work will see the creation of a content rich, interactive digital graphic novel interpreting stories over the past 100 years of facial reconstruction and the lives of those sustaining, receiving and performing life changing facial injury and surgical resolution. 3 way collaborative partnerships between Creative, Maxillofacial Surgeon and Military Historian will be formed to interpret specific stories identified by project coordinator Paddy Hartley.

Who: Maxillofacial surgeons, military historians, medical historians, graphic novelists, Motion comic/graphic creators, sequential image storytellers, Illustrators, interactive media designers, digital animators, sound designers, coders.

What: Creatives are invited to submit an initial expression of interest to interpret the unique personal and surgical stories of military personnel who sustained life changing facial injuries who subsequently underwent pioneering facial reconstruction. Creatives will work in response to unique medical records and family testimony in partnership with collaborative partners in maxillofacial surgery and military history, to create interactive, content rich, image driven narratives examining the development of facial surgery over the past 100 years (WW1 to present day) incorporating the personal stories of those devising the surgery and in receipt of the surgery.

Submission: An expression of interest at this stage need only be an introductory email with links to your work.

Deadline: Expressions of interest should be received by 22nd February 2015. Candidates and collaborators selected will be included in a funding application to create the digital publication between March-Oct 2017, launching in Nov 2017. As well as producing the digital publication an additional aim is to be able to create the work so as to present in a gallery, museum public presentation.

Experience: Undergraduate, postgraduate and qualified professionals with an established practice are welcome to submit.

Contact: Paddy Hartley at paddyhartley@mac.com

Image appears courtesy of The Gillies Archives, Royal College of Surgeons England

This work is part of Paddy’s Creativeworks London Creative Entrepreneur residency at King’s College London.