Thesis: With the current context of COVID-19, the artist uses symbolism, text and visuals to explore the significant impact of this pandemic on individuals who base their work in the stock market. 

 

Symbolism

 

• The stock market is symbolic of the health of the patients in the room, seen by the chart at the foot of the bed

• There is also symbolism in the ‘rate cut’ being administered to these people as a replacement to IV fluids or other medication.

• The doctor is symbolic of the FED, as they are required to keep the economy running and by giving ‘rate cuts’, these people can continue to borrow money without suffering from high interest rates.

• The idea that patients are from a falling economy rather than patients who have caught the virus itselfEg. business man, bank lady etc.

 

 

Text

• The text provides context but showing the ‘STOCK MARKET’ and ‘RATE CUT’ along with the dialogue

• By using capital letters in the text, the words are emphasised and hence attention is drawn to them highlighting the idea that the stock market is an important factor

• The text helps support the idea of symbolism as it names each different feature with the object eg. IV → Rate Cut or doctor → the FED

• “Are you okay?” almost a rhetorical question as it is clear that the man is unwell. Shows the emotion of the doctor (FED) as this is another patient who is unwell due to the fall in the stock market. This leads to the idea that the FED will have to continue cutting rates in order to level the markets.

 

 

Visuals:

• The environment of a hospital scene with plain colours shows a rather neutral atmosphere (neither happy nor sad)

• The most recent patient is still dressed with business attire with a facial expression of pain. This complements with the panic expressed by the doctor (FED) as he has already tended to many patients yet they keep flowing in