Delgosha is pleased to present the recent series of paintings by Niaz Babatabar, titled “The Busker And Her Cats.”
In her new paintings, we are faced with immobile and still figures that seems to be waiting for a visitor. The ghostly aura of these paintings speaks of something unspoken that has haunted their lives. The subjects are defined thoroughly; however, they never finish their tales, encouraging us to look for hidden connections but never offering us any specific information.
On the other hand, the nature surrounding these figures is subdued and is being reduced to a functional, neutral background, resembling something of a photo ‘snapshot.’ In other words, the natural surrounding is being held down and diminished for the sake of the characters. However, in one of her paintings, a bust of a young man is portrayed and covered by plant-like brush strokes that seemed to be permanently tattooed (following nature’s hand). Babatabar explores this territory somewhere between her apparently impressionist brush strokes and a tangible emotional state. Her heroic imagery (centered composition) and surrealistic leaps make the images waver somewhere between dream and reality. Her palette moves from cheery, almost warm colors to a muted gray one. These changes subtly make the sweetness and accessibility of the pieces to sadness and isolation, each piece carry a little history of a mutual isolation.
“The Busker And Her Cats” is Niaz Babatabar’s second solo exhibition in Delgosha Gallery.