6:21 P.M. | Kirilee West

“‘6:21 p.m.’ shows emergency staff caring for a critically unwell intubated patient. Both staff and patient have become a combination of nameless limbs as they move in an almost synchronized dance of care. Despite the skill and professionalism in the movements of the staff, there is a gentleness and intimacy in the way they navigate the room together to care for this patient.”

Kirilee West, who is a self-taught artist, has been a critical care nurse for 15 years. Inspired by her time working in ICU and ER, she sought to capture the often-hidden moments found in caring spaces, seeking to use art to better understand our collective experiences in care. Her artworks are used as a language to describe these 'in-between' moments shared by healthcare workers, that are often so fleeting yet incredibly poignant.

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