"In Sweden Jurell’s triptych about ‘The Dialysis Case’ aroused even greater interest and tells the story of a nurse who was made to take all the blame for an accident which occurred during dialysis in a hospital.

Bought by the Swedish Nurses’ Union, the bas-relief was exhibited to the public, commented on and shown on television. This story turned out to be a milestone in popular opinion, and the law concerning hospital responsibilities has since been modified.

That pictures like this have such a profound effect owes much to the fact that they appeal to our imagination by exploiting classical and religious references to point out the absurdities and shortcomings of our society.

The triptych composition of ‘The Dialysis Case’ calls to mind Christ’s Road to Calvary in a medieval church painting, but, in contrast to that bygone era’s ‘picture book for believers’, Torsten Jurell’s pictures seek to encourage reflection in the observer, inspiring a stubborn refusal to be subjugated. In the ultimate analysis, his pictures affect us because they are beautiful and because they arouse our emotions."

Laure Barbizet-Namer

November 1999

In 1999 Laure Barbizet-Namer was assistant curator in charge of the painting and print department at Musée d'histoire  Contemporaine, (the Museum of Contemporary History), Paris)

(Draft for catalogue text to “Fire!” (Det Brinner!), 2000.)