Recliner

Artist: Daniel Maxwell
Size:  9" x 12"
Medium: Graphite
Info: www.dhmaxwell.com
 
In end-of-life care, a common term encountered at the forefront of the field is the phrase "good death". The foundation of this idea is rooted in closure. I learned that most "good deaths" happen in beds or recliners in the company of loved ones. In the time of COVID-19, a traumatic truth is that many patients are dying in isolation, restrictedly alone. Throughout the summer here in Tucson, I noticed people putting worn furniture out on the curb, most likely a signifier that the residents had moved. However, every recliner put out on the curb made me think of all the people losing their lives during the pandemic. I could not help but look at the house the furniture sat in front of and wonder if this well-loved armchair was sitting on the curb because someone in the house had passed away from the pandemic.