Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, Caring for the Collection is a project that focuses on Art in Healthcare’s vast art collection, enabling us to undertake a programme of maintenance and conservation of artworks currently in our art store.
We are delighted to have the support to have recruited two technical roles, who are dedicated to working with collection artworks and improving how they are stored safely. In November 2025, we appointed Giulia Gentili, our Technician, who brings several years of experience working with a wide range of artists and organisations as an art technician, fabricator and artist.
We also recruited our Collection Technician Apprentice, Mina Brennan, who works closely alongside Giulia. Together, they review, maintain and restore artworks, with the aim of placing them in hospitals, care homes and community spaces across Scotland. In addition to gaining hands on experience working with the collection, Mina is working toward a Museum and Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship [SCQF level 7] qualification.
As part of this project, and to celebrate Art in Healthcare’s 35th Anniversary, Mina has launched a blog exploring 35 works from the Art in Healthcare Collection and her findings from her apprenticeship.
Image: ‘The New Arrival’ by The Singh Twins
Welcome to the eighteenth Blog Post from the Collection Technicians!
Amrit Singh and Rabindra Kaur Singh also known as The Singh Twins are world renowned artists known for their contemporary work showcasing the Indian Miniature painting tradition, using this medium they make statements about the world politically and historically.
Looking to Indian miniature paintings the Singh Twins began focusing their way of communicating artistically even before their studies. On their undergraduate degree they came up against scrutiny and prejudice with tutors telling them to westernise their artwork and look at more European artists for inspiration, they were told their paintings were old fashioned and not contemporary. By continuing to create pieces which represented their heritage the Singh Twins saw that their work could be a way of speaking out against the prejudice they experienced. The Singh Twin’s work often focuses on current affairs and contemporary culture as well as important political topics. The Singh Twins may work on a piece together or separately, but credit is always given to them both for every piece of artwork they make.
Indian miniature painting can be dated back to 750 AD. The paintings then were created on palm leaves which is why they had to be so small.
The painting we have in the collection by The Singh Twins is titled ‘The New Arrival” it shows a family in the foreground and in the background is an ambulance and a landscape. The painting itself is not much longer than a ruler, the amount of precision shown in a small painting like this is amazing and shows the incredible levels of craftsmanship and detail which goes into each of their pieces.
Image: ‘The New Arrival’ on display at University Hospital Crosshouse.
Caring for the Collection is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland.
Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to dedicate time to improve the condition of our artworks currently in our store, so that they will be able to be displayed in health and social care settings across Scotland.
Museum & Galleries Technician Modern Apprenticeship is supported by Museums Galleries Scotland provider of the apprenticeship, mentor and SCQF level 7
14 July 2026 by
Amy Miles