Gulliver's Dream 2014

Arsen Savadov’s painting renders a dreamscape populated with ropes and pins holding down a giant. The motif of ropes and knots, prominent here, is a universal symbol of binding, commitment, and restriction. In antiquity, the Gordian Knot represented an intricate problem only solvable by decisive action, while love knots symbolized eternal bonds. Here, the figure is ensnared, reminiscent of the Lilliputians' capture of Gulliver, evoking feelings of helplessness and constraint. Consider the Laocoön Group, where snakes bind the Trojan priest and his sons, a potent image of suffering and divine punishment. The ropes in Savadov’s work, like the snakes, tap into our primal fears of entrapment and vulnerability. They create a psychological tension, engaging us in the giant's struggle. The image evokes a sense of helplessness, stirring deep-seated anxieties about control. The symbol of ropes reappears throughout history, binding heroes and villains alike, forever looping back to our shared human experience of constraint and the desire for freedom.