Object of Desire 2005

Anila Rubiku made this drawing, Object of Desire, in pencil and colored pencil on paper. Rubiku’s native Albania underwent profound social upheaval in the 1990s, and her art often addresses the place of women within this changing environment. Here, Rubiku employs minimal lines and color to create a psychologically charged interior scene. A seated woman holds a scarlet thread that extends across the composition to a kneeling man. This cord visually binds the two figures together, and could reference the cultural myth of the ‘red thread of fate’. The work creates a sense of unease and tension, reflecting the precarious role of women in post-communist Albanian society. It subtly critiques the institutions of marriage and family and questions the traditional gender roles assigned to women, who are so often regarded as passive objects of male desire. To explore this drawing further, seek out research into Albanian social history and feminist art theory. Understanding the artwork in its full social and institutional context will enable a richer engagement with its complex themes.