Nurses spend countless hours providing care to others. But sometimes that’s hard to see. This year for National Nurses Week, GE HealthCare is celebrating nurses everywhere by turning their hours into brushstrokes, to paint a detailed picture of what a nurse’s never-ending commitment to care actually looks like—in a way that’s never been expressed before.
BBDO New York partnered with Tim Okamura, a Japanese Canadian artist based in NYC known for his contemporary realist portraits, to bring this idea to life. Experiential partners Dot Dot Dash developed a customized frame that was composed of infrared lasers that were mounted on top of each canvas. Every time Okamura’s paint brush touched the surface breaking the path of the lasers it was recorded on the monitor beside the canvas.
Okamura helped visualize the “care data” of four different nurses, paying homage to their commitment with each stroke he painted. The number of brush strokes coincided with the many hours each nurse has selflessly given to patients.
And because a nurse’s work is never finished, neither are the paintings. Intentionally left incomplete, these “Canvases of Care” serve as a reminder and celebration of a nurse’s never-ending resilience, passion, and commitment to helping others.
This video shows us the painting reflecting the service and dedication of nurse Simone Hannah-Clark.
Rob Concepcion, creative director, BBDO NY, said, “Nurses dedicate so much time and energy to helping others. These unfinished paintings celebrate nurses’ never-ending commitment to care, and visualize that commitment in a way that feels tangible. Serving as a reminder how lucky we are to have them.”
Okamura observed, “I love the concept relating the brushstrokes to the number of hours that they’ve put in their career. It just really gives you a sense of how much work, how much dedication, just the commitment to care that each one of these nurses has put in.”
The artist added, “I feel empathy in all of their faces, and I just feel like I’m seeing some very kind people, like truly kind humans.”
CreditsClient GE Healthcare Agency BBDO New York Jon Chapman, chief creative officer, BBDO Health; Jess Rello, Rob Concepcion, creative directors; Sara Kway, jr. art director; Danah Fakhreddine, jr. copywriter; Enda Conway, head of connections strategy; Lucy Bennett, influencer lead; Ankit Mehra, strategic planner; James Young, EVP, director of interactive production; Philip Savage, interactive producer; Jasmine Batista, art producer; Kadin Herring, jr. interactive producer. Artist Tim Okamura Production Company BBDO Studios Kelly Matousek, director of BBDO Studios; Matt Brody, supervising producer; Hannah Squeglia, field producer; Greg Mezey, DP; Cathy Ellis, post producer. Technology Studio Dot Dot Dash Stu Kozlowski, executive director, business development; Adam Paikowsky, executive director technology; Steven Kasprzyk, business director; Danish Aziz, director of digital product; Madison Nouguier, project manager; Cody Steinfeld, jr. project manager.
The Best Work You May Never See: Street Artist Sarah Bracken Soper Shines A Light On Homelessness In Ireland
A mural that shines a light on the issue of family homelessness in Ireland has been unveiled in Dublin’s Temple Bar. It was created by street artist and activist Sarah Bracken Soper to raise awareness of the work and fundraising efforts of homelessness charity Focus Ireland.
Known for addressing social, cultural and climate justice issues, Soper’s artwork in this case is designed to be thought-provoking and start a conversation around the urgent issue of homelessness in Ireland. Taking inspiration from the fact that family homelessness can often be an unseen issue, the piece features two women locked in an embrace, with one clearly visible while the other appears as a shadow. The figure that is “seen” represents the empathy and generosity of the Irish public while the “unseen” shadow figure embodies the mothers of the thousands of families trapped in hidden homelessness. The creation of the mural coincided with a “sleepout” in Dublin highlighting the homelessness crisis and was featured on Irish news.
At present 14,486 people including 2,099 families and 4,419 children are currently experiencing homelessness in Ireland. Many of these families are based in unsuitable emergency accommodation, where living spaces can be confined to one room. The effects of this crisis are deeply felt all year round, and every day spent without a place to call home takes away a child’s sense of security and belonging.
Explaining why she was drawn to the issue of family homelessness, Sarah said, “I believe that the creation of art is an essential process in our understanding of the world, and a crucial tool for change and recovery. I hope anyone experiencing homelessness today in our society is able to draw some comfort from knowing there are... Read More