Book of the Dead 2001

Arsen Savadov made this photograph, *Book of the Dead,* at an unknown date. I am drawn to the materiality of the scene, the way the figure looks so vulnerable and exposed under the lamp’s light. It seems to me that the artist is dealing with themes of suffering, loss and the ephemerality of the body. I imagine Savadov working with the model, the collaborative act of creating this image, the discomfort, and trust involved. There's a sense of deliberate staging, but at the same time, a raw immediacy. Looking at the stitches on the figure’s neck, I can't help but think of the painter Francis Bacon. Bacon, too, used the body as a site of disquiet and transformation. He wasn't afraid to distort and expose the raw, vulnerable aspects of human existence. Ultimately, this image, like all great paintings, invites contemplation. I am reminded that the work of art is an invitation to engage in an ongoing conversation about the very nature of life and death.