Rochester Art Fair
Rochester Corn exchange, Medway, United Kingdom
Dates: 3-5 May 2024
My work in this exhibition has two main groups of work:
The first group is called “Women in Suffering”. The location is the Holy Land”, or what is known as the Levant, in the Middle East. Alongside being a major holy centre for the three Abrahamic religions, it has been a land of continuous turmoil throughout history, before and after Christ.
I have selected three women to express this turmoil in sculptures made of fine plaster, all made in 2023-2024.
“Elissa was the legendary founder and first queen of the Phoenician city-state of Carthage (located in Tunisia), in 814 BC. In most accounts, she was the queen of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre (located in Lebanon) who fled tyranny to found her own city in northwest Africa." source: Wikipedia.
Mary, mother of Jesus, who in 33 A.D. due to cruelty and lack of tolerance, suffered the torture and the crucifixion of her son Jesus Christ, and the persecution of his followers. Her humility and obedience to God have made her a model of devotion and righteousness.
Mother of thousands of children killed in war, at present times. Thousands have been killed, thousands maimed, thousands displaced, and thousands deprived of their basic human rights. The suffering continues.
A fourth smaller sculpture, “Contemplation”, made of white cement binds the three sculptures and questions: What happened to Thou Shall not Kill?!
The second group of work is about English novelist and social critic, Charles Dickens, 1812-1870. Dickens was a social reformist, especially in matters related to women and children. The works include three portrait sculptures of Dickens cast in fine plaster: full head, half head and face. All made in 2023-2024. The sculptures focused on revealing a kind, sensitive and concerned character expressed on the face. Although originally, the two groups of work were not intended to be combined, however, one may wonder about what Dickens would make of what is happening to women and children, and to human rights in general, in the 21st century Levant.
Other art items available at the exhibition are textile art, giclee prints and cards of paintings.
randasaabart@outlook.com @randasaabart
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