Moderate Landscapes 2017

Zahrah Al-Ghamdi's ‘Moderate Landscapes’ looks like it’s been made out of strips of something organic, a kind of muted earth-toned symphony hanging from the wall. I can imagine the artist carefully layering each strip, building up this textured facade almost like she's creating a natural shelter. I wonder if Al-Ghamdi was thinking about ancient ruins or natural formations when she put this together. I bet she handled each piece with care, feeling its texture and placing it just so to create this layered effect. The way the strips hang loose at the bottom, almost touching the ground, suggests a sense of growth and decay. It makes me think of artists like Eva Hesse, who also played with unconventional materials and organic forms. I bet Hesse would have liked this. It shows how artists are always riffing off each other, remixing ideas across time. For me, it’s about embracing the unpredictable and seeing where the materials lead you.