Statement:

Abstract art is a key part of the contemporary art scene. Abstract art breaks down the convention of traditional pictorial art and simplifies or schematises the mimetic approach of visual representation through colour, shape, and texture and tries to provoke the visual interest of the viewer by a new and unfamiliar representation of its subjects. This mode of representation is reluctant to accommodate the world of recognisable objects and processes in themselves and in relation to other objects and processes. Another aspect of abstract art is that it usually involves virtues such as order, purity, simplicity and spirituality. Daa Art is thrilled to present, “Dreaming in Form, Shape, and Line”, an exhibition of fascinating artworks that elicit our senses through pure patterns of form, colour and line. The curated pieces exhibit a variety of artworks that explore the concept of abstract art through calligraphy, geometric shapes, and gestural marks that often have no relation at all to an external visual reality. The exhibited artworks challenge our perception and show us a vivid alternate reality using saturated palettes, ambiguous bodily language and reconfiguration of forms and shapes.///

Banafsheh Ahmadzadeh uses traditional Iranian architecture and geometry, and also tries different materials, in order to get the result she expects which could express her message in the form of sculpture. Derek Dickinson’s practice is strongly autobiographical, considering challenging aspects of life, such as depression, addiction, and anxiety. Movement is a key factor in his work, an abstraction of fluid forms which reflects his interest in the endeavour of existence. Dickinson’s canvas works, employing acrylic paint and muslin, explore spirituality through textural forms. Over time these conceptual expressions of emotion have become more figurative. His minimalist canvases’ rich textures reveal delicate and sensual figures. Nestan Mikeladze uses thin oil paints to not only convey transparency but also because it is an unpredictable medium. As she puts it: “It is one that I cannot easily control and thus I am surprised by. It has its own way.” Shadi Talaei is an Iranian artist who uses Persian calligraphy as an expressive medium in her paintings. She explains how she achieves her concept: “Gradually, you become aimless and while being drowned in the surroundings, you start to moderate and adjust yourself to them. And everyday, this pleasant feeling of joy increases and you become more still; you make less noises and you stop burbling, then slowly you sink into yourself and settle there… Ornaments and shininess will not deceive you anymore and feeling joyful gets more internal; and innermost… This time, My exhibits works reminding us of such migration from outer to inner. Leili Tehrani Walker is a Multidisciplinary artist working across a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, tapestry, and digital graphics. In their works, they draw upon Persian Miniatures, Zoroastrian iconography, Islamic architecture, meme culture and queer histories. Using a saturated palette, and forcing perspective to defy the laws of physics, they combine these references with personal subject matter to create vivid alternate realities. Sacred architecture drawn from sites of spiritual significance and motifs from antique Persian rugs are woven with signifiers of their community to create dreamscapes that invite the viewer to celebrate the intersections of their various identities.