Artist John Yayen worked with two staff members who have migrated from outside of the UK, to create a painting reflecting on their unique journeys and experiences.
Through this project and his art, Yayen seeks to bring visibility and recognition to the often-unseen hands and stories of migrant healthcare workers within the UK healthcare system. The completed final paintings are on public display in New Vic Wing, RVI alongside portraits from several other NHS trusts. Supported by the Newcastle Hospitals Race Equality Staff Network.
Meet the artist:
Yayen is a Filipino nurse and contemporary artist who uses art to respond to and investigate migration, belonging, and resilience. As a migrant himself, his current work draws inspiration from lived experiences and explores how we carry our identities when we are uprooted, and how we grow in the new soil we are transplanted to.
At the heart of his art lie the questions: What does it mean to belong? How do we redefine our identities when the definition of “home” shifts? Through multi-media, and participatory and narrative-based approaches, Yayen invites us to pause and listen to each other, with the hope of fostering understanding.
To find out more visit his website.