I was reminded of a painter friend who had started her career by depicting scenes from life, mainly deserted rooms, abandoned houses and discarded photographs of women. Gradually, her work became more abstract, and in her last exhibition, her paintings were splashes of rebellious color, like the two in my living room, dark patches with little droplets of blue. I asked about her progress from modern realism to abstraction. Reality has become so intolerable, she said, so bleak, that all I can paint now are the colors of my dreams.
📖 Azar Nafisi
The reflection describes a painter who initially focused on realistic portrayals of desolate settings and forgotten memories, such as empty rooms and discarded images of women. Over time, her artwork evolved towards abstraction, culminating in vibrant and rebellious colors that contrast deeply with her earlier themes. Her transformation highlights a journey from depicting the harsh realities of life to expressing a more imaginative and hopeful vision through her art.
When asked about her change in style, the painter explained that the overwhelming bleakness of reality drove her creative shift. She found it increasingly difficult to engage with the starkness around her, leading her to escape into the colors of her dreams. This notion underscores a broader theme of how art can serve as a sanctuary from the intolerable aspects of life, allowing for personal expression and a glimpse into a more colorful inner world.
