The Letters 2007

Arsen Savadov made "The Letters" and, right away, you can see it's this whole mish-mash of bodies and giant letters, all rendered with a confident, almost casual brush. It’s like he's not precious about it, more interested in the doing than the perfect result. The earthy tones kind of ground the piece, but then BAM, you get these pops of bright colour in the letters. Look at that pile of letters down front – blues, reds, greens, purples – all jumbled up. It's a beautiful mess! And it makes you think about how we build meaning, word by word, letter by letter. Each one has its own weight, its own feel, but it only really sings when it’s part of something bigger. It reminds me a little of Fernand Léger, but with a more playful, less rigid vibe. Like Léger, Savadov embraces the everyday, but he throws in this chaotic energy that feels very much his own.