‘2 Mad Docs' 'We are not artists but medicine is our art!' An exhibition of works by Nora Rahman and Vaikunthan Rajaratnam

About

Following their exhibition at Red Gate Gallery earlier this year, the '2 Mad Docs' are returning for a second exhibition of paintings and photographs. The ‘2 Mad Docs' are Nora Rahman who is a GP in London and Vaikunthan Rajaratnam who is a surgeon in Birmingham. This exhibition explores the link between the practice of doctors and artists; the powers of observation and interpretation. Nora's current collection of paintings is entitled ‘Hands on Nature' which is inspired by her recent travels both locally and abroad. She tries to capture the constant change of nature's beauty and the transient delight of cyclical changes; daylight to night, weather changes and the wonderful seasons are evoked in her current series. She has used her hands to take snapshots of nature's beauty. Most of us have childhood memories of dipping our fingers into thick gooey paint and having a fantastic time. Fingers are great for painting. This process has captured Nora's interests as she has continued to pursue this unusual process of producing art. She finds it very sensual, relaxing and therapeutic, allowing her to connect with her work. By employing a wider colour palette she has produced some exciting and engaging new work. Her love of art has continued to help her with her medical practice and enabled her to help her patients focus on the positive aspects of their health. Raj continues his photographic series on the hand, entitled ‘The Working Hands'. For a surgeon, one of the most important functions of the hand is vocational. Raj has framed the hand in various settings being used to earn a livelihood - from the most gross and power grips to the more fine and subtle positions of the hand. He uses digital photography in his extended role as a surgical educator to impart surgical skills to his trainees to document the hand at work in its various settings. Some of these photographs are from his travels and from his work environment.