Inflamed and Untamed
Haya Mohammed
Not only was this certainly an extremely difficult time for Adam both physically and emotionally, but this period also had a significant impact on the lives of both my parents and I. We had to watch his suffering and feel helpless asking why a perfectly normal son, brother and student is now suddenly living with a chronic disease. It was no surprise if Adam would get irritated and sensitive with us as he was battling a personal war with himself, trying to accept what his new life has come to be. It was undoubtedly the most testing period of our lives.
My painting displays a young terrified individual looking away from the observer and hiding behind his own body, representing Adam. Surrounding him in a disorganised manner are numbers, letters, a variety of pills and cut out side effects from the information booklet of Adam’s medication. The pills signify the overwhelming vast amount of medication Adam has to suddenly consume daily, despite knowing the serious side effects highlighted by the cut outs. It is almost as if he is a prisoner of UC being restricted from living a free and normal life with the medication, side effects and emotional havoc the illness brings with it. The numbers and letters represent Adam’s passion and enthusiasm for mathematics and education which has been disrupted by his condition. The overall effect of the painting resembles Adam’s illness interfering with his normal life and his struggle to accept and face what the future may hold. Despite Adams strength which has shone through, I wanted to depict the unknown emotions he would have felt but no one necessarily knew of.
In conclusion, it can certainly be said that interviewing Adam and reflecting upon our journey as a family has left me enriched from the experience. My brother is an extraordinary brave young man who has the power and resilience to stand strong against a chronic illness that has changed the rest of his life.
For me, this creative assignment was also about sharing and revisiting Adam’s journey with my family, allowing us to reflect on the highs and lows we endured. It enabled me to analyse the key hurdles we overcame, even if it was not a smooth ride. Revisiting this story has highlighted how our resilience as a family has improved due to a strengthened familial external support network. Recounting these events has allowed me personally to further understand my brother’s emotional and physical rollercoaster of an experience. When I look back at the difficult recent years we faced, I sympathise deeply, but endlessly admire my parents and most importantly, my brother.
This piece is especially interesting due to its personal theme. The use of quotes from the patient’s information booklet elucidates how restrictive his condition is and is extremely creative. By incorporating Adam’s passions in the artwork the piece becomes quite emotive as it makes you feel connected to Adam and more empathetic towards the situation. On the whole, I have found this to be an intricate, inspiring and impassioned piece of work.
I find this peice very thought. provoking. The image of Adam in the middle is heart-wrenching and the use of the image of his medications, as well as their side effects, allows us to sympathise with what he must be going through. The body language of the young man emphasises how terrified he must be and makes this artwork emotive. In conclusion, I find this to be an extremely interesting and inspiring peice of art.
This piece depicts a 17 year old who is suffering with ulcerative colitis curled up and hiding behind his own body. Around him are words letters numbers and other illustrations that are meant to depicts all the challenges, problems and stresses he is facing. Both those that arise due to his condition but also all the other stresses that generally come with being 17 years old especially stresses around school. Paintings of pills and cut outs of symptoms and medical advice are scattered around him to act reperesent the thoughts and stresses he has surrounding his condition and are meant to symbolise his thoughts and responsibilities while actively managing his condition. The artist manages to convey his struggle to avoid his problems to no avail. Also the fact that he is naked conveys his vulnerability to both his symptoms and stresses which has led him to this state of respiration where it feels as though his problems have trapped him and they will never end.
I found this piece very emotive. It shows how personal medicine is for patients, their loved ones and medical students/ professionals (and sometimes a combination of those). I liked the use of multimedia as it contributed to the sense of being overwhelmed and consumed by an illness. It helps to identify with the sister who was looking onto this pain and feeling helpless over what to do.
I find this piece very moving. The complexities of emotions and personal challenges brought on by a diagnosis. The knock-on effects a diagnosis can have on a person’s life is hinted at with the use of Mathematical elements in the image. The image of Adam gives off a sense of raw vulnerability and the difficulties he has to endure alone. Overall, I found this to be interestingly multifaceted.
I think this piece is particularly touching due to the all the surrounding pills and maths symbols suffocating the centre which is Adam’s being. The fetal position shows Adam’s feeling of wanting to either avoid the pain or the information that he will have to live with this chronic illness. The small text boxes show how harmless the words describing the symptoms are , contrasting how much of an impact they have on his life.
I chose this picture as I think it represents a feeling of as a patient, being overwhelmed. The boy curled up shows his exhaustion about his illness/ health experience as well as his fear. The fact that he’s surrounded by meaningless letters and numbers shows how a lack of understanding can impact a patient. As well as this, the complex maths symbols imply that the patient is also afraid of the unknown and of aspects of his disease or treatment he doesn’t fully understand. The pills and medical terms may also suggest that the patient feels they can’t escape the healthcare system and it has taken of them and their life. The fact that the patient is sitting in foetal position also suggests he may feel ‘infantilised’ by the process.
This is a very thought-provoking and touching piece, and I think the juxtaposition between Adam’s bodily position (which is expressive of pain, exhaustion, and fear), and the objective descriptions of his symptoms highlights how impersonal treatment can feel for a patient, and how terrifying a sudden diagnosis is. His face being hidden goes further to show this, as well as suggesting a desire for privacy that often is unmet due to invasive treatments and examinations. The pills, descriptions, and mathematical symbols surrounding Adam create a sense of him being overwhelmed, and that his life is being dominated by treatment, leaving him feeling trapped, with his interests pushed to the side. I found this piece very interesting and explores the impact of treatment on a patient in a really insightful way.
Adam is lying in a foetal position, which suggests distress, pain, and withdrawal. This highlights how debilitating a chronic illness can be and how it may cause individuals to withdraw from things they once enjoyed. The lack of clothing also emphasises his vulnerability and sense of exposure. I also appreciate how the artist has incorporated mathematical equations and symbols alongside medication and its side effects. This contrast illustrates how managing a chronic illness can become overwhelming, potentially taking over an individual’s interests and everyday life. Overall, this artwork has deepened my understanding of the challenges faced by individuals living with chronic illness. It has shown me the importance of looking beyond physical symptoms and recognising how an illness can affect someone’s identity, emotional wellbeing, and quality of life.
This artwork shows the disarray that illness can leave patients in, and his position and the proximity of the symbols and notes suggests how it is encroaching on his thoughts and overwhelming him. The lack of organisation with the letters and symbols and images around him, implies that he is unable to find structure and make sense of the things happening around him. The artwork depicts the struggles that patients go through upon diagnosis and through chronic illness, particularly with treatment and the detachment from life before diagnosis.
I like this piece because the artist has chosen to use a comic effect to paint the subject, I think the use of this style reflects the teenage aspect of the subject of which this piece is about. As your focus is drawn to the subject you notice the fact that the subject is ‘hiding behind his own body’ as well as not wearing any clothes which blends with the comic style to highlight the stigma that is felt by those with chronic illnesses, which especially resonates with teenagers. As you look away from the focal point you’re drawn to the other sources of colour, which are the numerous pills that he has to take every day to manage his chronic conditions. I think the artist has intentionally chosen only to use colour on the subject and the pills to emphasise how the drugs are the only source of relief for the patient, but the majority of the painting is still white which suggests that this source of relief is quite insignificant compared to the nothingness and struggles the patient faces. As you look into the empty spaces you notice the cut-outs listing side effects which blend into the white background. This signifies how the artist’s brother felt the side effects only added to the emptiness and the struggles as it blends in with the nothingness that surrounds him. It could also signify how the brother was minutely aware of the side effects, as they’re written in black font, like thought bubbles that roamed his head but forced to blend them into the background to live with his condition which ultimately is consuming his life.