Parlament Lights 2005

This is Arsen Savadov's Parlament Lights, and it feels like it was conjured from the ether. Look at the way he coaxes these images into being, through tone and texture. You can sense Savadov relishing the process, the way he teases out the forms with what looks like a limited tonal range. Savadov’s use of shadow and light is what brings the work to life. I'm particularly drawn to the way the lamp is positioned, how it illuminates the adjacent face, but also seems to cast a shadow upon it. It's all about building up layers, isn't it? And the surface looks almost like a photograph, which is partly to do with the focus, but also the flatness of the image overall. I’m reminded of Luc Tuymans, in his ability to create a sense of eerie stillness from found images. Savadov invites us to contemplate the unseen, the unspoken. It’s more about questioning than answering.