Sadik Kwaish Alfraji’s works – regardless of the medium – have a unique way of blending art and philosophy. Through his strikingly dark works including paintings, prints and video, Alfraji explores a variety of themes such as issues of existence and identity, feeling of loss and perpetual state of longing. Moreover, he tackles anxiety, emotions and thoughts related to these themes, which are much prevalent in his life as an exile artist. In this respect, his memories of social and political events, especially the Iran-Iraq war, and personal experiences such as the loss of his father add to the intensity and depth in his work. Having shown his work internationally in the Middle East, Europe and the US, Alfraji’s engaging exhibitions encourage viewers to tackle questions of existence that are relevant to all our lives.

According to Alfraji, the show will draw from the aesthetic and conceptual framework of his earlier practice: “These works go along in the same stream as my earlier work. They treat the issue of our existence through themes, concepts and ideas related to its daily experiences and situations, which we encounter as individuals or groups/ societies. This takes the form of a constant questioning of life and purpose in most of my works.”

Alfraji’s exhibition brings together seven Lambda prints from his Waiting for Godot series and two videos, The House that my Father Built (Once Upon a Time), 2010 and Got to Come Yesterday, 2013. Inspired by Samuel Beckett’s existentialist play Waiting for Godot, Alfraji explores the idea of futile waiting that is, according to the artist, incredibly relevant to all our lives. The recurring faceless shadowy figure with hands in pockets appear bruised and vulnerable in this series. Black as a color is powerful element in creating this impression. Questioning the problem of existence through this figure, Alfraji describes this figure or in other words Godot as one of his masters: “He is the impossible. He is an existentialist symbol that you wait for, but who never comes.”

Alfraji’s video The House that my Father Built, on the other hand, draws on the artist’s personal memory and family background. The visual imagery of this intimate work is thus heavily influenced by emotional elements, especially nostalgia, triggered by his father’s loss. The video refers to ‘house’ as a metaphor of identity, not in its physical meaning. Moreover, this metaphor elaborates on Iraq’s role in the formation of Alfraji’s identity.

-Ayyam Gallery

Image: © Sadik Kwaish Alfraji