I Have An Interest In Your Heart
Harriet O’Neill
This piece reflects the juxtaposition of the interests of the patient and the system of healthcare, and is intended to symbolise the current consensus to move towards an “opt out” system of organ donation, in which the autonomy of the individual could be argued to be somewhat sacrificed in favour of the tremendous national need for viable organs.
Furthermore, the graphic nature of the dissected organ and the vivid colours are intended to evoke the instinctive shock that we feel when confronted with images of what lies underneath our skin.
Whole Person Care One, 2010
I think that this painting is very striking – it captivates the audience and highlights an extremely relevant topic. The phrase ‘I have an interest in your heart’ makes the observer consider the impact and lack of autonomy of the individual who’s heart is in question.
I recognise that the artist is speaking to me directly with the line ‘I have an interest in your heart’, which makes me feel scrutinised and uncomfortable. This excellently highlights the potential flaw with an opt-out system for organ donation, as it could be argued to limit a person’s agency over their own organs. The intricate detail and bright red makes the piece highly evocative.