It’s definitely Springtime! Here are the new collections from Shazia.
Shazia
FAWN
CANVAS ON BOARD | 28” x 21” | LIMITED EDITION OF 95 | £565
Fawn, by Shazia, £565
Shazia painted ‘Fawn’ as part of a collaborative exhibition in California called ‘Painted Sound’. As the name suggests, the pieces in the exhibition were painted interpretation of pieces of music.
Shazia says, I chose Fawn by Tom Waits from the album Alice. The musical piece is barely two minutes long, but manages to prolong a beauty which melts the heart, but at the same time makes to feel uneasy. I think this is largely due to the poetic and sometimes screeching, almost grating harmonics of the Stroh violin.
I guess the poetry comes in the form of the little girl in the white dress and the little blue butterflies hovering around. As your eyes pan to the background you begin to feel uneasiness; things are perhaps not as they seem. The descending fog adds doubt to your mind and you wonder if Fawn is safe or in danger in the confines of the space she stands in.
Like the piece of music, Fawn offers up both beauty and desolation, although perhaps not apparent at first. Fawn tugs at the heartstrings and you feel she is abandoned and un-cared for in the darkness of the forest. Her light dress attracts the butterflies fluttering around her, and you fear she may attract larger prey into the forest, so you take it upon yourself to care and keep her safe. The creeping fog pulls you ever closer and you become fearful and disorientated. You stop to place yourself, but Fawn falls back into the shadowy mist and is lost to you. You are left desolate and bereft of a heart that you know was never yours to take.
Shazia
VIDA
CANVAS ON BOARD | 32” x 40” | LIMITED EDITION OF 95 | £895
Vida, by Shazia, £895
“I began painting Vida in the summer, but the light in my studio wasn’t so great due to the rain, which seemed endless. Hence there was a lot of stopping and starting with this piece.
Like most of my paintings, I had no clear direction for this painting, not even a working title! I let thoughts dictate, but nothing good was coming my way, so I decided to take the canvas down and try to start on another piece. A couple of days later, two things happened: firstly, I spied a kingfisher in my garden, which, although brief, made me smile on what was fast becoming the worst summer on record. The second was a letter from a little girl who had just bought the very last ornt of ‘Alvi’ and her excitement was so evident in her little note of thanks that she’d sent to me.
First thing Kingfisher reminded me of a story my mum once told me and my sisters. Unbeknown to me it was the same story told in Greek mythology about Alcyone, wife of Ceryx, who is punished by an angry Zeus. Ceyx is hit by a thunderbolt whilst sailing on his ship. He is drowned and cast upon the shore where Alcyone finds him. Grief stricken, she throws herself into the swirling sea. Out of pity and compassion, the Gods turn them into Kingfishers so they are together once more.
… And so my painting took its own course, but by then I knew she was to be called Vida, the name of the little girl who sent me the note of thanks!”
These have already proved popular so please call us to reserve your copy.
Artica Gallery | South Molton Street 