Gayatri Saxena Explores the Emotion behind the PPE
Gayatri is a Clinical Education Fellow but has additionally worked on the High Dependency Unit during the pandemic.
By Paintings in Hospitals
Gayatri Saxena
Corina (2020) by Niki Tong Yuk YingPaintings in Hospitals
This oil on canvas is named for its sitter, 'Corina'
This piece is paradoxically full of emotion despite the dehumanising nature of PPE. It conveys what has been challenging for us to convey to our patients: That our empathy, although more concealed by masks and goggles, remains intact.
Blue is the Colour of Hope
I have always felt that blue is a colour of hope and with so many beautiful blues used here, that sentiment is amplified for me. The ill-defined edges on Corina’s scrub cap, which start blending into the background, suggest that this past year has whittled away at her.
Sense of Duty
At times, it has blurred the lines between her work and her personal life. But still her gaze remains steadfast. This woman is resilient. The only hint of pandemic fatigue lies in the dark shading around her eyes. Something about that piercing look tells of her sense of duty, a notion about which most of us go into healthcare with fanciful ideas.
Tears have been Shed
The artist’s brushstrokes create the impression that tears have been shed and I can certainly attest to that on some of my own shifts. This portrait reminds me of so many female colleagues, whose strength in their resolve to go beyond healthcare provision and take on the burdensome mantle of being family members for some patients, will not be forgotten.
The Ghost of the Day
It has been a privilege to work with such women, for whom even after the shift ends, the ghost of the day remains imprinted on their faces for their families to see.
'I have always felt that blue is the colour of hope.'
Blue Vista (1996) by Bonnie BrownPaintings in Hospitals
Complementary Therapies
The more I learn, the more I feel that modern medicine has its limitations and that we need to consider the possibility that complementary therapies may take any number of art forms.
