This work belongs to a crucial period in Arabshahi’s career, where diverse sun-like circles of color are shaping the overall space of the painting. Arabshahi’s worldview encompasses a wide spectrum of art forms as well as a body of knowledge and cultures of an ancient world, embodied in the work presented here. Sometimes we see him as a jeweler who is gilding the canvas with calculated brushstrokes, and at times as an ancient potter, covering his work with dust of a world of mythology. Colorful circles, glowing like precious jewelry in this work, are creating a splendid scenery in a stretch of turquoise and gold colors. Arabshahi exploits his knowledge of architecture to meticulously adorn the surface of canvas with an architectural design. In addition to painting, Arabshahi is skilled in producing relief and mural painting, thus some of his paintings possess an interdisciplinary quality.
From a different perspective, works of this kind are making a reference to the heritage of smithery and ancient inscriptions, undertaking to visually represent the world of ancient mythological figures and inscriptions. In other words, Arabshahi is an archeologist who is opening a new chapter of exploration and excavation on canvas and mysterious layers of paint to shed painterly light on the unknown world.
Another painting from this collection was sold for $60,000 at Bonhams auction, October 2009.
