Press Release
O Gallery presents Arash Sedaghatkish's (b. 1972 Tehran) solo show of recent drawings, inspired by impressions of his experienced landscapes.
The works explore the interaction between the observer and landscapes, focusing on themes of emptiness, humanity and its surroundings in the context of today’s world. This leads to scenes such as a mountain eroded by human activity, a graveyard in a village, an excavation trench and urban landscapes, primarily from Fars (Shiraz) and Tehran. A subtle presence of death and permanence of landscape—even though destructed—permeates these landscapes.
Not pre-planned, the artist's perspective on these landscapes has emerged as a spontaneous and recurring theme among the many subjects he typically explores in his work. Utilizing industrial markers—an industry tool designed for outdoor marking—on paper at small scales, has become a defining characteristic of his main body of work since 2018. Sedaghatkish's drawings are rooted in his memories of places, travels and personal experiences, adding a deeper layer of meaning to the impressions conveyed due to the non-observational nature of his approach.
"I work on a set of 10-15 recurring subjects, each defined by specific features that capture my attention and lead to a new, focused experience in a visual format. The repetition of these subjects forms a so-called collection, though I don't view them as such. During the process of drawing, I don't think of a specific audience nor seek to create an enigmatic impression. However, if someone is familiar with the subjects I work on, they may approach it with a deeper sense of understanding or empathy.”