Midwife's love of the South Bank reflected in art installation

A St Thomas’ midwife, who got married, went into labour and watched her children take their first steps in the Royal Festival Hall, is having her incredible story made into an interactive art installation at Southbank Centre.

Judith Lyons, 46, is sharing her life with Atticus, a ‘digital mirror’ that allows visitors to see the life of a person of another age, race or gender reflected back at them.

Judith, who has worked on the South Bank as a midwife at St Thomas’ Hospital for nine years, says: “I’m so passionate about the South Bank and Southbank Centre; I’ve lived here for 27 years and they’ve been a major part of mine and my family’s life so I was eager to be involved with the project.

“I got married in Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in 2011 and all our guests said it was the best wedding they’d ever been to.

“Working at St Thomas’ is not like working at any other hospital. It is part of an iconic setting and community, I feel very lucky to be able to work in such special surroundings.”

Judith will be one of three SE1 ‘neighbours’ who will come together to form Atticus as part of Southbank Centre’s Festival of Neighbourhood.

Atticus’s creator and head of digital engagement at Southbank Centre, James Cowdery, says: “I knew I wanted someone from St Thomas’ Hospital to participate as it’s such a close and well loved neighbour. I never imagined I’d find someone as involved with the centre and its community as Judith.

“Atticus combines innovative face scanning and 3D character creation techniques to create photorealistic avatars of our neighbours. It’s been fascinating to explore how digital technology can tell the story of our neighbours and celebrate their contribution to Southbank Centre.”

Atticus will be displayed from August 16 to September 8 in Level 2, Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre.

For more information you can visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk/atticus or search for #IAmAtticus on Twitter.