Parlament Lights 2005

Arsen Savadov made this work, Parlament Lights, with a limited palette and strong contrast. It feels like a memory being printed in front of us. I imagine the artist felt compelled to make this and started with a black canvas, or a dark canvas, and added lighter tones to make the figures emerge from darkness, as though the artist has brought them out of the shadows. The piece on the left feels like a close up and invites us to look and speculate about the person’s life. And the one on the right seems to be looking off into the distance. The additional light fixture seems like an integral part of the work. All artists are in an ongoing conversation. I wonder who inspired Savadov to make this piece? Ultimately, each painting is like a portal that allows for multiple interpretations and meanings.