This captivating artwork features a striking, ethereal image against a dark backdrop. The central figure is bathed in a soft, glowing light that emanates from behind, creating a mystical, almost spiritual effect. The colors are muted, with shades of blue and white predominating, lending the piece a contemplative, serene quality. The overall composition is minimalist yet impactful, highlighting the subject's introspective gaze and suggesting themes of transcendence or inner reflection. The artist's use of chiaroscuro lighting and understated palette evokes a sense of mystery and introspection, inviting the viewer to ponder the deeper meaning and intention behind this thought-provoking work. ...
Having fled his native Iraq in the face of war, Bassam Al-Sabah was raised in Belfast. His practice is characterised by a changing of states. Through a process of ‘media archaeology’, Al-Sabah reinterprets, remediates and reprocesses excerpts from popular culture – especially those found within his childhood – to create visually-rich computer-animated worlds. Al-Sabah is influenced by the scenes of conflict in dubbed Japanese anime TV shows, which were broadcast during the Iraq War. The artist uses the dreamscapes to subtly explore his own embedded historical trauma and feelings of dislocation and displacement felt by diasporic bodies. His reinterpretations involve fluid, fragmented and non-linear narratives, a reflection of cut scenes in video games, the predestined interruptions in gameplay often used for story exposition. The player momentarily loses control of their character’s actions. ...
