Artist Donates 1,800 Paintings to All Employees at Brooklyn Hospital – CBS Pittsburgh

(CNN) — A Brooklyn hospital received a special delivery this week during the coronavirus epidemic: a truckload of 1,800 paintings, one for each employee, each representing a flower.

The painting was created and donated by Los Angeles-based artist Michael Gittes. The work was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London, Park Avenue Armory in New York, and even in the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.

“During the height of the pandemic, Michael came up with this great idea. It was one of the hardest fights in New York, so it was to donate the painting, especially to all employees in New York hospitals.”

Gittes turned to Bronner to find the best hospital to donate.

According to Gittes’ specifications, it had to be a non-profit hospital in an underserved area with an intensive care unit to treat patients with coronaviruses. According to Bronner, it had to be small enough so that all staff, from doctors and managers to janitors, guards, and cafeteria workers, could draw their own original drawings.

They decided that an inter-religious medical center in the Bedford-Steyvesant district of Brooklyn was perfect for the project.

Hospital CEO LaRay Brown told CNN that at the peak of New York’s coronavirus infections, the Interfaith Medical Center was occupied by about 90% of patients suffering from coronaviruses.

“On April 12, there were 136 patients with Covid-related illness,” said Brown. “We were essentially a Covid hospital.”

According to Bronner, framing and shipping of paintings across the continent has been made possible by funds raised from collectors. Brown told CNN that Brown’s work was in 40 boxes on Monday and was distributed Thursday.

The hospital community was informed of the initiative and was able to preview the painting in the video sent to them.

“It was like Christmas when they could actually touch and see the painting,” Tracy Green, interfaith chief financial officer, told CNN.

“They felt like… they were working hard for the past few months, and they were so happy for someone to see it and give them a gift,” he said. Green said.

“These flowers belong to everyone”
According to Bronner, Jittes wanted to combat the helplessness caused by the pandemic and use his art to pay homage to health workers.

The project, titled “Strangers To Know One,” aims to inform the front line workers that they are loved by artists and the world in fighting this difficult war against the coronavirus.

“You are loved by millions of people you never meet. You are no stranger to them, and these flowers are everyone’s,” Bronner relayed from Jitte.

Acrylic paint was created using a syringe to connect the artist with the hospital worker.

“In both cases, they use syringes to help others heal,” Bronner told CNN.

Mr. Bronner explained that the workers themselves were like flowers in the garden, supporting every aspect of their lives and that Zitte painted flowers for each worker in the hospital.

By sending art to their homes, Jittes wants to offer them a “time of peace from madness”.

“I don’t think many people are aware of this mental, physical, or emotional situation in the pandemic, not only for our health care workers and hospital workers, but also for our families,” Bronner said. ..

CEO Brown told CNN that she had something to do with that sentiment.

“Most of us worked seven days a week, eighteen hours a day,” Brown said.

“We are all coping with the fact that we are cautiously hoping to protect our families and addressing personal losses.”

Brown has lost two relatives to the virus, she told CNN. The virus “affected everyone’s lives,” she said.

Touching gifts
When first approaching Jittes’ intention to donate a painting to each Interface worker, Brown said her reaction was skeptical. After all, Jittes is based in Los Angeles and has nothing to do with Brooklyn.

“It’s like, somehow, why?” Brown told CNN.

Mr Brown said that the more discussions about the project, the more Zittes’ intention was “to really impress us all.”

Brown told CNN that the analogy between a hospital worker and a life-supporting garden was really told to hospital staff. It recognizes not only the doctors and nurses who fight the virus every day, but also the employees of other departments whose support role continues to operate the hospital.

“When you’re not at the forefront and you’re doing payroll so nurses can get paid, or just paying bills so we can receive PPE. …” said Green.

“There are no magic bullets yet”
The number of inpatients in New York City continues to decline, and on Friday the number of patients with Covid-related conditions at the interface fell to 19.

“Thankfully, we can now breathe a little easier,” Brown said.

However, the situation was very different in spring.

To quantify the burden of coronavirus on hospital surgery, the hospital’s chief operating officer, Charles Bove, said the number of “e-cylinder” portable oxygen tanks used in the hospital ranges from 88 to 200 per day. Said to exceed.

The pandemic also extended the length of time patients were in the hospital, essentially doubling from an average of about 5 days to about 10 days, Green told CNN.

The hospital is preparing for a case revival in the fall, and Brown says he wants staff to understand the importance of recommendations for people to wear masks and keep their distance. It was.

“If a young man is hospitalized with mild symptoms, suddenly fails to breathe within hours, has to intubate within minutes, and some die, they are not irresponsible,” Brown said. Stressed and said her concerns that people would be self-satisfied during the summer.

“At least all you can do is wear a mask, keep a social distance, and wash your hands,” Brown told CNN.

While the pharmaceutical industry is competing to find vaccines and making progress in treating viruses, Brown said people should use tools that have proven effective.

“There are no magic bullets yet,” she said.

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