Untitled 1989

Mostafa Dashti made this Untitled watercolor with swift, translucent strokes that capture something desolate. It’s a process of layering and letting the paint run that feels so intuitive, as if he's chasing the feeling of being lost and isolated out in the desert. I love how the washes of ochre and pale blues create this feeling of space, like the air itself is part of the painting’s subject. Then you notice the wreck and your eye is drawn along the slick tarmac to the next vehicle, seemingly abandoned further in the distance. The paint is so fluid, almost like he's letting the medium dictate the scene. See how the darker grays and blacks of the car wreck pool together? It’s not just a representation, but a kind of meditation on color and form. It reminds me a bit of Ed Ruscha’s gas stations, but with an added layer of decay and abandonment. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to provide answers; sometimes, it's enough to just ask the questions.