An exquisite portrait of Greek Australian nurse, Helen Zahos, will feature in a special art exhibition called the ‘Salon des Refusés’ from October 9 to November 1 this year.
The exhibition is held in conjunction with the Brisbane Portrait Prize and the Royal Queensland Art Society (RQAS).
Painted by renowned artist, Ben Fuog, the detail of Helen’s blue nurse uniform is a sharp contrast to the face mask she is wearing, reminding the viewer of the important yet dangerous role played by healthcare professionals during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Given the current circumstances, I couldn’t have had a more pertinent subject to paint. Helen is an impressive representation of so many who put others before themselves and an example of what humanity should aspire to be,” Ben Fuog tells The Greek Herald exclusively.
READ MORE: The Greek Australian essential workers helping the country amid COVID-19 crisis.
For her part, Helen Zahos says that although she thought the request was “unusual” at first, she was still “flattered that an artist of Ben’s calibre wanted me as his subject.”
“As the painting was being done and [I saw] what Ben was capturing, I realised the significance of this painting,” Helen tells The Greek Herald.
“History is being written. This global pandemic will be spoken about for years to come and there are frontline workers that have risked their lives to serve others, thousands of which lost their lives serving their community.
“2020 is also the Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and I think coupled with the historical moment captured in the painting, I feel really honoured and privileged to be the subject.”
If you would like to see Helen’s portrait, or even the work of other artists, you can do so by simply visiting the gallery between Tuesday – Sunday 10am-3.30pm. Exhibition attendance is free and tickets are not required.
READ MORE: Celebrating our exceptional nurses on International Nurses Day.
