B R O K E N is an interactive display that will include black and white portraits and a caption under each photograph with a QR code that will lead viewers to the recorded stories of each person in the photographs. All of the participants are healthcare workers that have treated COVID patients including nurses, doctors, techs, administrators and patients who have survived long hospital stays.

Artist Statement by David Lancaster, DO:

As the Medical Director of Capital Region Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Unit I was overwhelmed by COVID and its impact on my coworkers and patients. I felt that the people in the midst of this pandemic needed their voices to be heard. B R O K E N is a project that I started after the Delta variant began to overtake our hospital. The portraits are of the healthcare workers and administrators who have worked tirelessly during this pandemic, and the patients who have survived this grueling illness. I asked each participant to hold up a word that summarizes what they are feeling. In addition to the portraits, I recorded interviews of their thoughts, experiences, and struggles with this pandemic. When I started this project I was met with suspicion from a few of the nurses but after several interviews the staff and patients began to feel very appreciative that their stories were being heard. These photographs are just the beginning of this ongoing project that now includes over 20 portraits and stories. I believe that all of us need to witness the reality of this disease and the impacts of it on our healthcare system. I hope this project, which is an intersection of my medical training and photographic storytelling will allow viewers to understand the depth of this pandemic.