Mohammed Bahrawi
“Clown within Cubes”
Oil Pastel on Canvas
47” x 47”
The mark of reality bursts through the abstract canvases of contemporary artist Mohammed Bahrawi. A detectable Cubist influence fills the background of Mr. Bahrawi’s two canvases “Clown within Cubes” and “Joker within Cubes.” Cubism moved beyond the Renaissance picture-plane only interested in representing a three-dimensional investigation of reality through linear perspective by exceeding mere bodily movement and incorporating temporality and the fourth dimension of time into the composition.
The background of these canvases vigorously arranges shaded geometric forms, visualizing the temporal movement of not only bodies in space, but non-distinct atmospheric elements like air unrecognizable to the human eye outside of its effects on surrounding objects. Mr. Bahrawi elegantly mirrors the dynamism of his cubist background to the wallowing clown’s face in “Clown within Cubes.” The clown’s empathetic expression actively emphasizes the facial, bodily and even thoughtful contortions caused by the natural articulation of emotions. In “Joker within Cubes,” the vivacity of the joker’s contrapposto stance is exaggerated through the mirrored background effect, portraying movement through both bodily exaggeration and abstract geometric figuration. Mr. Bahrawi’s strips mimetic reality from his canvases to expose the essence of bodily forms and human relationships, transforming his canvases into universal compositions allowing all viewers to freely contemplate one’s own emotions towards prescribed conditions defining existence.
