Black Paintings
in single cells
the work is collected from
those who were stranded, isolated, had difficulty moving, are frustrated, angry, analyzing,
recovering from an illness, weaving into metaphors ideas, emotions
plotting (a) movement to cope with a difficulty,
some sadness, a distrust the work is a symbol
an effort to reflect and react to – a function, a feeling, a fact
as from a single cell where a prisoner eats,
sleeps, cleans himself –
where he thinks and wishes the thinking to stop
the work is created to continue living,
or to continue working,
to protest in order to address
a lack of compassion and failure to take care of
those who may or may not be aware, or have already perished
– umma
Black Painting (Fragments of Silence), 2020, Acrylic on folded paper, approx 150×310 cm
Artist’s notes:
I’ve repeatedly folded sheets of paper in a way where the surface of the paper absorbs waves of sound. The bombardment of events that are ongoing in the world together with the covid-19 pandemic have resulted in unfolding the true nature of leaders in governments – those who stay true to their sworn oaths, those who serve their own interests, those that force people into silence.
What I’ve thought of initially is how this piece reflects the current situation: oppressors silencing the oppressed. But though, as the surface does absorb sound waves, this kind of surface functions more efficiently in reducing echo. The folded papers are painted in a special kind of acrylic paint. Dubbed as the blackest black paint, the makers claim that it absorbs
99% of visible light, reflecting only 1% of it to our eyes.
When patching the papers onto the wall, I ask how this pandemic opened an opportunity to paralyze us and render us blind from the search for truth. Are we doing well and enough in our digital lives? How do we silence the echoes in our chambers?
Artist’s notes:
Black Painting (The Creator) is one of many paintings stemming from my interest in exploring the notion and implications of creative work in relation to post-truth politics.
Shrouded in black, it is inspired by Francisco Goya’s paintings during the late period of his career. The image serves as a regard to well-known fictional themes like the Illuminati and/or the all-seeing and omniscient eye of God, the creator of all things. I used a special kind of black paint for the image (Black 3.0) where 99% of light is absorbed, and only reflecting the 1% of it to our eyes.
Black Painting (The Creator), 2020, Acrylic on canvas, 92.5 x 118.5 cm