Professional art gallery
London, United Kingdom
Artsper seller since 2021
Unveiling Realities by Elham Etemadi
London From May 2, 2021 to June 12, 2021
Presentation
Elham Etemadi’s latest body of work presented in Unveiling Realities is characterised by the time of their production during the pandemic. With Elham’s last exhibition taking place mid last year when the world was just coming up for air between two lockdowns, she couldn’t help but notice an unwavering shift in interaction with her work by her viewers. Through the fissures of these global lockdowns, new realities unveiled.
How? This pause in our lives allowed people to reflect on dreams and hopes as well as fears and anxieties that were embedded in our current reality. Intimate conversations with loved ones and listening compassionately to one another allowed people to foster deeper connections that lifted the invisible curtains we all once hid behind. This unlayering of self is directly linked to the unlayering of Elham’s subjects in her new body of work. Stripped away from outer noise, these characters take centre stage, reflecting the slow and steady unraveling of ourselves. The elements in her paintings such as plants, dalmatians, toys and human figures reference everyday objects, allowing the viewer to make sense of the world around them and everything in between.
She witnessed certain people responding to her work with a heightened sense of awareness and curiosity. “This was interesting to me as I realised I too had changed. I reflected on my new reality: how I viewed my practice, engaged with my work and the different materials I used due to limitations set by the pandemic.” This introspection gave way to see parts of ourselves that we had not met before. This is directly reflected in her latest work, “for me, I feel like my new body of work reflects these intimate connections and experiences that people opened up to me and I to them”. Thus allowing her developed characters to take full precedence over the scenes of her paintings.
In her earlier practice, Elham would plan her compositions yet give room for happy accidents, allowing her subjects to flow in and out of her work. During the pandemic however, expanded awareness led her to paint with more intention. “I don't let anything go unnoticed, each corner of my painting has a clear direction and contributes to the larger story”. As we collectively peel off the layers and deepen our connection to each other, our surroundings start to make more sense. Unveiling Realities reflects this hyper interconnectivity proving that we all need each other to survive. We all strive to return to what truly connected us as human beings; authenticity, rawness of emotions and genuine interactions.
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How? This pause in our lives allowed people to reflect on dreams and hopes as well as fears and anxieties that were embedded in our current reality. Intimate conversations with loved ones and listening compassionately to one another allowed people to foster deeper connections that lifted the invisible curtains we all once hid behind. This unlayering of self is directly linked to the unlayering of Elham’s subjects in her new body of work. Stripped away from outer noise, these characters take centre stage, reflecting the slow and steady unraveling of ourselves. The elements in her paintings such as plants, dalmatians, toys and human figures reference everyday objects, allowing the viewer to make sense of the world around them and everything in between.
She witnessed certain people responding to her work with a heightened sense of awareness and curiosity. “This was interesting to me as I realised I too had changed. I reflected on my new reality: how I viewed my practice, engaged with my work and the different materials I used due to limitations set by the pandemic.” This introspection gave way to see parts of ourselves that we had not met before. This is directly reflected in her latest work, “for me, I feel like my new body of work reflects these intimate connections and experiences that people opened up to me and I to them”. Thus allowing her developed characters to take full precedence over the scenes of her paintings.
In her earlier practice, Elham would plan her compositions yet give room for happy accidents, allowing her subjects to flow in and out of her work. During the pandemic however, expanded awareness led her to paint with more intention. “I don't let anything go unnoticed, each corner of my painting has a clear direction and contributes to the larger story”. As we collectively peel off the layers and deepen our connection to each other, our surroundings start to make more sense. Unveiling Realities reflects this hyper interconnectivity proving that we all need each other to survive. We all strive to return to what truly connected us as human beings; authenticity, rawness of emotions and genuine interactions.
