Unveiling Realities by Elham Etemadi

ELHAM ETEMADI UNVEILING REALITIES 2 May－12 June 2021

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Unveiling Realities 2 May－30 May 2021 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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Born in Shiraz, Iran in 1983, Elham Etemadi currently resides in Lyon, France. Having completed her PhD in Fine Arts, Elham combines the traditional technique with a complex symbolism that defines the core of her practice. Her work is multilayered whereby the space between tradition and nuance is occupied by references to movement and fantasy. Plants, animals, toys and architectural elements stand alongside humans on stage.

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Elham Etemadi CV Solo Exhibitions 2021 'Unveiling Realities', Emergeast 2020 Bertrand Hassoum Gallery, Besançon, France 2020 B minus Gallery, Kortrijk, Belgium 2019 Bertrand Hassoum Gallery, Besançon, France 2017 Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France Art Fairs 2021 London Art Fair, Bavan Gallery, London, UK 2020 Teer Art fair, Bavan Gallery, Iran 2017 ST'ART Art fair, BW Gallery, Strasbourg France Group Exhibitions 2021 Nikole Bouck Gallery, Hurtigheim, France 2020 Art Objects Gallery, Meulebeke, Belgium 2020 Nikole Bouck Gallery, Hurtigheim, France 2020 'Plakat', Jardin des Deux river, Kehl, Germany 2020 Latuvu Gallery, Bages, France 2020 Latuvu Gallery, Ostand, Belgium 2019 'Regards sixieme', Contemporary art Maison de region, Strasbourg, France 2019 'Cridart', Galerie d'Art Contemporain, Metz, France 2019 'Kunst kosmos oberrhein', Museum für Aktuelle Kunst, Durbach, Germany 2019 Latuvu Gallery, Bages, France 2018 BW Gallery, Strasbourg, France 2018 'Fiesta', Strasbourg fine art University, Strasbourg, France 2018 'Utopia', Place d'Europe Gallery, Strasbourg, France

Wonder Room, Elham Etemadi, Acrylic on canvas, 150x120 cm, 2021

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“My work is multilayered, the space between tradition and nuance is occupied by references to movement and fantasy. They are unified by a dream world in its broadest sense, which is comic, intense, poetic and emotional.”

In The Role of an Actor, Oil on canvas, 80x60 cm, 2020, Sold

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Called to step back and reinterpret our reality, this artwork urges us to embrace the space between our outer and inner world. “I wanted to feel the silent moments before breaking them.”

It was a call for pause and reflection.

Long Silence, Acrylic on canvas, 90x120 cm, 2021, USD 3500

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“The intensity of the human mind has never been so heightened. This chaos has come to be our modern reality. We became the chaos.” Surrounded by superficial distractions, thinking alongside a world of interferences, the viewer is asked to reflect on a life with purpose and intention.

The Thinker, Acrylic on canvas, 150x120 cm, 2020, Sold

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“Stripped away from outer noise, these characters take centre stage, reflecting the slow and steady unraveling of ourselves.”

Duo, Acrylic on canvas, 70x50 cm, 2021, USD 2000

Silhouette, Acrylic on canvas, 70x50 cm, 2021, USD 2000

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Unveiling our intimate secrets to one another inspired me to develop my characters and other elements in my paintings. As we peel off the layers and deepen our human connections, our surroundings start to make more sense. This interconnectivity is reflected in my new body of work. We all need each other to survive and grow. － Elham Etemadi 10

“Wonder Room is filled with multi-dimensional characters that for the first time fully come to life and take precedent over the scene, fusing reality with fantasy. The background resembles a dreamy Opera House which is contrasted against the intimate space in the foreground where figures find a moment to reminisce.”

Wonder Room, Acrylic on canvas, 150x120 cm, 2021, USD 4400

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“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.”

Warm Arms, Acrylic on canvas, 130x120 cm, 2021, USD 3800

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Big Surprise, Acrylic on canvas, 150x120 cm, 2021, USD 4200

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“I want the viewer to imagine, dream, and see everything they want by extending what is experienced in the painting past the physical.”

Dream, Acrylic on canvas, 120x150 cm, 2021, Sold

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“As I attempt to close the gap between reality and fantasy, I’m mindful of this balance between thought and action.” － Elham Etemadi

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Interprétation des Rêves, Acrylic on canvas, 150x120 cm, 2021, USD 4200

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“The entanglement of bodies within the painting, as well as the roundness and sensuality of lines are present as an ode to colour, childhood, heroes and the Greek God Thanatos coalescing into a dance together through my brush.”

Metaphors, Acrylic on canvas, 130x120 cm, 2021, USD 3800

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“This painting emphasises the importance of playfulness and innocence experienced in childhood.”

Between the forms, shapes and patterns lie vacant spaces occupied by what is described as whispering silences, where the colours and figures dance together.

Magical Life, Acrylic on canvas, 105x75 cm, 2021, Sold

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ELHAM ETEMADI UNVEILING REALITIES 2 May－12 June 2021

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