Untitled (068) 2002

Rafa Nasiri made this painting, called Untitled (068), using washes of ink and gold leaf. I can imagine him, in the studio, layering those earthy browns and creams. The way the colours bleed and stain into the canvas makes me think of Gerhard Richter, but with a twist, the inclusion of those Arabic calligraphic elements. I can imagine Nasiri feeling free and fluid in his process, letting the watery ink drip and pool, almost like he is creating an abstract landscape, with the calligraphy becoming a kind of personal script or mark-making. The gold leaf adds a layer of richness and texture to the piece; it's like he's adding a touch of the divine. The way the colours interact with one another creates such a dynamic, even a kind of shimmering effect. It’s like he's inviting us to consider the intersections of language, culture, and abstraction.