Dream 1990

Vigen Vartanov made this mixed media piece, "Dream," and it’s like a bas-relief sculpture trying to escape from a rusty old box. I can see a face, maybe dreaming of Napoleon, but everything seems caught in a web of wire. There's such a tactile quality to this work. The face is almost ghostly, like a plaster cast, while the metal and wood around it feel rough and worn. Look at how Vartanov uses these materials to create a sense of tension – the rigid metal against the smooth face, the tight wires against the loose strands of hair. It makes me wonder about the dreams we hold onto and the constraints that hold us back. The way the wire loops around the figure's head almost creates a halo effect. It reminds me a bit of Kurt Schwitters and his collages, but with an added layer of psychological depth. Vartanov isn't just arranging materials; he's exploring the space between dreams and reality.