Sanctuary and Confinement

Sanctuary and Confinement was printed in conjunction with Sarah Bakhtiyar’s exhibition “Sanctuary and Confinement.” Sarah’s work deals with being trapped or confined within ones space. Her work speaks with a mind of its own: it speaks in a multitude of languages and moods to all who enter its space. Sarah created a steel sphere and then ensconced herself in it. She wanted to feel the sense of being in an enclosed space before transferring the imagery on to paper. She then made use of a multitude of techniques to convey the sense of confinement. There is complete control over the graphite and then paradoxically the paints have been let loose on the paper like a crowd running amok. The figure is the central motif in this series and is stronger and bolder in all the paintings in which it co-exists with the sphere. If it crouches or stands tall, in the sphere’s proximity it seems to exist with a force. While in the other drawings it almost seems like the absence conveys a sense of loss and dignity.