specialty focus
Helen with the portrait painted by Ben Fuog . Image : Supplied
Everyday heroes
Aussie nurse featured in Brisbane Portrait Prize .
By Conor Burke
Helen Zahos is stumped . It ’ s early on a Monday and we ’ re
both a bit slow to start . Helen has been up late the night before on Zoom meetings with people in Europe and I have no good excuse other than , much like Bob Geldof , Mondays are not my favourite day of the week .
But my question has stopped her in her tracks . I don ’ t know how I would feel either I tell her . Helen has been immortalised in a portrait by artist Ben Fuog as part of the Brisbane Portrait Prize , and for “ a very ordinary nurse ”, as Helen describes herself , it ’ s hard to digest .
“ I don ’ t even know how to answer that , because it ’ s almost overwhelming . I know that history is being written right now .
Being in nursing now for 20 years , this pandemic is a once in a century event that ’ s unfolded ,” she tells me .
The image shows Helen , almost unrecognisable save for her bright green eyes and glasses , in full COVID-19 PPE . The image could be any nurse and is a homage to nurses across the globe in the WHO year of the nurse and midwife . This year , when it has become clear to many around the globe how important this role is to a functioning society .
“ I thought what a perfect on-point subject ,” Fuog tells me . “ A frontline worker during a pandemic . Someone willing to give her all against , at the time , the unknown , for others .
“ The piece is purposely harsh and hardlined . I was trying to encapsulate the seriousness of the situation we are all facing . The reality of a fully masked nurse actively saving lives in direct contrast to the lunacy of the many conspiracists and doubters of the COVID-19 in denial .”
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