by lena ibrahim
Oil
h: 61 w: 81 d: 2 (cms).
This self-portrait was made in response to a season of physical and emotional exhaustion, due to the grief of losing my mother, during a block of night shifts as an NHS resident doctor. Doctors are often depicted as resilient and tireless; this work challenges that narrative by presenting the doctor as a vulnerable human subject. The idea was first inspired by a photograph taken of myself sleeping in the doctors’ mess by a colleague. I began with a pencil drawing to establish the composition and correct proportions. Early layers were deliberately muted to reflect the temperature and stillness of the room during the early hours of the morning. Subsequent layers embrace the richness of colour, allowing gravity and softness to emerge. This piece aims to capture a transient, often unseen moment, offering an insider’s perspective on medical life and reframing public perceptions of doctors through vulnerability rather than heroism.
£10000 (As exhibited.)
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