O Gallery is pleased to present “On the Side of Silence,” a recent collection of large-scale paintings by Mohammad Khalili (b.1971 Torbat-e Jam.)
It’s not a first for Mohammad Khalili to play a role in a side of silence, as he had already set the stage for it. This time, somewhat similar to that of before, “On the Side of Silence” is no longer a dark place without light; it’s in a perpetual state, a situation in which passion and fear are equal in weight.
The representation and significance of a sky full of clouds, a meadow, stones and cement walls are reoccurring elements of the artist, in which portray his images of a space bordering the possible and the impossible. Although these images can portray a fragment of our reality, they are regarded as though perpetual in time and space offering a cognitive experience or for the better, channeling the conscious to a whole different level of awareness.
In his recent work, the artist examines the relationship of harsh corridors, cement walls and the subtlety of water. The shadows from the corridors and the dim reflection of light from one open body of water finding its way to another body of water, one that is enclosed, forever motionless and silent. In these scenes, the artist distances himself (or perhaps nears himself) from the meadow and stone so that this time he could measure the nature of his soul with limited space.
By visiting these open chambers of water, the artists’ spirit roams free for a breath of air in a compact environment to perhaps correlate his mind with such elements. From this perspective, it’s not so inappropriate to view the purpose of these paintings as an immense act by Khalili.