Montréal artist Shireen Kamran exhibited her new works at the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

Artist Shireen Kamran explains:
“‘These new paintings renew my interest in exploring the intersections and tensions between the representational and the abstract. Akin to perception, and perhaps even reality, they oscillate between image and idea. These lyrical, yet somewhat comical creations reflect a restless mobility, a sensitivity to cultural displacement, and my memory of people and places. The works are dominated by silhouetted forms, reminiscent of totem poles and minarets. Upright and vertical, they dialogue with surrounding hybrid human and animal forms floating freely.
Process –that is the very act of making– is central to my work. Left apparent, the interplay of gestural brushstrokes, spontaneous mark-making, scraping, layering of paint, along with the use of collage elements, imbues the canvas with a raw physicality. Chaotic yet sublime, these paintings are meant to invoke an emotional state without conveying a particular meaning. Like a playful archaeology of the soul, they uncover and make visible the shared layers and lineages of the human experience.”

The highlights from the exhibited paintings:

The painting above:
“Suluk Wanderings No.71(diptych)”, mixed media / canvas, 48” x 62.5” / 48” x 36”
Photo: Courtesy of the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

“Suluk Wanderings No.1”, mixed media / canvas, 60” x 60”
Photo: Courtesy of the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

“Suluk / Wanderings No.2”, mixed media / canvas, 53.5” x 54.5”
Photo: Courtesy of the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

“Suluk / Wanderings No.3”, mixed media / canvas, 59” x 53”
Photo: Courtesy of the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

“Suluk / Wanderings No.8”, mixed media / canvas, 49.5” x 60”
Photo: Courtesy of the Galerie St-Laurent + Hill

About the artist

Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Shireen Kamran now lives and works in Montreal, Quebec. She has a Bachelor in Fine Arts cum laude in Studio Arts from Concordia University, Montreal. She has participated in many solo and group exhibitions, both nationally and abroad, and her works can be found in both corporate and private collections.

The Galerie St-Laurent + Hill
293 Dalhousie
Ottawa On K1N 7E5 Canada
http://galeriestlaurentplushill.com/