Emmy Goes To Documentary about UK HealthCare Patients Who Told Stories Through Art

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 7, 2014) — A documentary about eight UK HealthCare organ donation recipients who expressed their transplant stories through artwork has received a regional Emmy award.

Filmmaker Thomas Southerland's "Body Maps: Transplantation Inside and Out" received an Ohio Valley Regional Emmy award in the category of best documentary on Aug. 2. Inspired by a body mapping workshop for eight UK HealthCare patients that took place in February 2013, the documentary was collaboration between the Lexington Public Library and Kentucky Organ Donation Affiliates. Earlier this summer, the film received a bronze Telly Award.

The documentary follows eight UK HealthCare organ donation recipients as they recount their transplant experiences through a body mapping exercise at the Tuska Center for Contemporary Art in the UK Fine Arts Building. Body mapping is an art therapy exercise in which participants communicate their stories through pictures, words and symbols on a life-size canvass of their bodies. Belgium artist Xavier Verhoest, who developed the body mapping workshop for people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, led the four-day UK workshop.

The workshop was organized as a joint effort by UK Arts in HealthCare, UK College of Fine Arts, UK School of Art and Visual Studies, the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates, the Ruth Hunt Wood Foundation and the Art2Be organization.

The body maps of all eight patients were displayed at an exhibit in the UK Chandler Hospital in February 2013. Southerland's film portrays their stories of grief, resilience and hope to show the healing power of art and underline the importance of organ donation.

"Working on Body Maps was a career highlight for me, largely due to the courageous and generous spirit of the eight organ recipients who bravely shared their stories," Southerland said.  

To watch the documentary, check airing times on the channel 20 television schedule by clicking here. KET and its affiliated channels will air the documentary in late August. For a complete schedule, click here. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu