Untitled Page

The 12 works in this online exhibition speak of Sulaiman Ali’s inspiration-landscape and

flora. He depicts the seasonal transformation of the plants so that colors and textures

have become splendid renderings of the grandiose yet subtle power of nature. He pays

homage to the mythical mountains of Kurdistan, in all of her different aspects-propitious

and wet in Spring, hot and vibrant in Summer, glowing yet somber in Autumn, and cold

and cruel in Winter.

STATE OF SENSORY

At first glance Sulaiman’s works appear to have been created randomly and mercurially. The paint

appears to have been applied spontaneously and with wild excesses. But upon looking closely, the

viewer begins to notice the drips, dabs and dashes of color in various hues-with an intricacy that leaves

the viewer with a sense of the artist’s enthralled state to the sensory-reflections of an indulgence of

sensual release and abandon.

PURE PASSION

The distinctive practice of Sulaiman merges painting and symbolic gesture in the pursuit of a direct,

intuitive form of expression falling somewhere between the gestural painting of Abstract Expressionism

and ‘abject expressionism’. His visual language of scrawls, drips, and renditions is tensely balanced

between abstract and pictorial impulses. In this modern era there are a lot of artists who employ abstract

forms that are lacking in power or soul. But that’s simply not the case with Sulaimen when it comes to

style, he leaves pure passion on a canvas and that’s why viewers become engulfed in his work.

RYTHYMS OF NATURE

Color has an undeniable, archetypal strength in the Iraqi Kurdish psyche. It is inextricably bound to their

identity, the sense of who they are, both as individuals and as a nation-the desert, the mountains and the

vast coastline as demonstrated by the Sulaiman.

In the Spring series of paintings, Sulaiman uses blues ranging from vibrant turquoise to a dirty earth

green, to subtle yet strong magentas and lilacs. The colors are placed to symbolize the “blooming” of life

after a harsh winter. The blacks that run throughout the Winter series are still present but instead of being

in the mix, it’s being covered up and takes a new place in the background of the painting. The colors in

the Summer series of works is laid in a sloppy and thick manner emphasizing an explosion of flora and

the rapid growth of life on the mountain. Vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows crowd the canvas thoroughly

covering the black that represents an absence of life. Giving the works a chaotic and ferocious feel, the

color brings to life the sheer magnificent force of nature on the mountain and its ability to flourish despite

its location.

The Autumn series peers deeper into the shadowy spaces that haunt the dying leaves and the light frost

condemning them. The colors reflect a dismal amount of life, dwindling in the balance. They are muted

relatives to the vibrancy shown in the Summer series, accurately depicting the passing of seasons.

Within the Winter series the color has all but vanished completely, the pieces are composed of dull

greys, blues, and earthy greens. But Sulaiman has a way to make black glow in the dark, with snatches

of white, rusts and blues shining through it. Overall the cycle of colors throughout the works demonstrate

how life is tied to the rhythms of nature.

A HIGHLY PERSONAL LANDSCAPE

At first glance these works forced three things into mind; bodily, earthly and sensory. Color, strokes, and

techniques come together to perfectly reflect Sulaiman’s unique view of flora and land- foreground and

background are combined unfolding interpretations of the jagged landscape, a layering which gives the

viewer an experience of place. Not only does the skill reflect the artist’s talent but these works feel

extremely personal, relating to memories - a highly personal landscape.

Inadvertently Sulaiman’s work underscore the incredible imaginative freedom of the seemingly countless

variants for his painting’s soul. It is a reflection of deep passion and the strength of spirit and soul that

really keeps a viewer enthralled, leaving them in the same state that the artist was in when he created

them. And that’s what makes these paintings so powerful and beautiful - the artist sought to show

everyone how he depicts his home in all of its glory and he executed this perfectly.