Sara Shakeel's powerful image has been shared thousands of times online. Sara Shakeel / Instagram
Sara Shakeel's powerful image has been shared thousands of times online. Sara Shakeel / Instagram
Sara Shakeel's powerful image has been shared thousands of times online. Sara Shakeel / Instagram
Sara Shakeel's powerful image has been shared thousands of times online. Sara Shakeel / Instagram

Pakistani artist Sara Shakeel's crystal-covered image of exhausted medical worker sends powerful message


Sophie Prideaux
  • English
  • Arabic

Some images are so powerful, they make you stop in your tracks.

And when Pakistani artist Sara Shakeel shared her latest work on Instagram, that is exactly what happened for thousands of her followers.

Shakeel is known for her crystal art, adding a shimmering layer to everyday pictures and items. And her latest image has really struck a chord amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The picture shows an exhausted medical worker, sat with his head bowed in a hospital waiting room. His blue scrubs and personal protective equipment are covered with Shakeel’s trademark crystals, making him shine.

“So I posted this as a story, and after a while, I was bombarded with messages by all of you asking me to post this image ... so it could be shared with your loved ones working in the healthcare community,” Shakeel said, posting the image on her Instagram page. “But now I have a better idea.

“For all those who know a fellow healthcare member, or is one, please send me your images [and] pictures and give me the honour of creating sparkling artworks out of you all!” said Shakeel.

Sara Shakeel has been inspired to launch a series after posting the photo to Instagram. Sara Shakeel / Instagram
Sara Shakeel has been inspired to launch a series after posting the photo to Instagram. Sara Shakeel / Instagram

“Though I personally cannot be a part of the healthcare community, I would love to contribute as much as I can with whatever ‘art’ I have.”

Shakeel has asked people to send their pictures, or tag her in their posts and let her know what they are doing "for us and for mankind together".

The artist has already got to work on transforming a number of pictures of doctors, nurses and other frontline workers around the world, sharing the finished images on her Instagram Stories.

Shakeel, who is based in Pakistan, has amassed almost a million Instagram followers in the three years since she began posting her crystal-encrusted images.

She works with both physical and digital art, having taught herself how to use Photoshop after initially training to work as a dentist.

Shakeel has since worked with the likes of Chance the Rapper and Huda Beauty, and created artworks using images of many prominent people, including fellow Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai:

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Hurricanes 31-31 Lions

Wellington Hurricanes: 
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett

British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)

TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.