The arena of the Sun 1954

Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid made this painting, "The Arena of the Sun," with what seems like an explosion of colours. It's like she threw a party and all the shades of the rainbow showed up. Looking closely, the mosaic of forms and colours create a feeling of constant movement. The reds, purples and yellows vibrate against each other like they are dancing. The texture isn't smooth; you can see the layers, the way the paint sits on the surface, creating this almost tactile quality. It feels like you could reach out and touch the energy of the painting. There's a particular rhythm to how the colours are placed, building up a kind of visual harmony from chaos. It reminds me of Sonia Delaunay's use of colour and abstraction, both artists creating their own visual languages to express something beyond the surface. In the end, it’s this feeling of boundlessness that makes the painting so interesting. It keeps you looking, wondering, and feeling.