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Home / Zurich Art Fair 2025 / Exhibitor

Shama

Azerbaijan

The forest, covered in snow and grey, is a world gently enveloped in moonlight, a mysterious lake shrouded in thick fog to form a harmonious river in which nature and light unite, and the boundaries between dream and reality dissolve in a state of weightlessness.

In Shama's art, a distinct aesthetic of transition is manifested, exemplified by the convergence of reality and the concomitant perception. The depiction of the forest, manifesting as fleeting images yet eschewing any intricate detail in the fleeting perception, only to re-emerge in the subsequent moment, interweaves with the temporal perception of the viewer. The viewer is engendered with a sense of alienation from time as they endeavour to capture every moment, preserve every image and transform every glance into a precious, unique experience.

The judicious use of light, captured at the opportune moment and evoking emotions through its gentle transitions, serves as an elementary medium. Light, functioning as a conduit between the celestial and terrestrial realms, fosters the creation of an enchanting atmosphere.
The artistic oeuvre of Shama is distinguished by a remarkable aesthetic, which has been known to transport the viewer to a surreal dream world. The artist's practice encompasses a variety of techniques, including tapestry and oil painting.

Image: Shama
Shama: Ein Luzider Traum (A lucid dream) / Oil painting, 90x100cm, 2024

A lucid dream
The work encourages the viewer to cross the boundaries between dream and reality. The rabbit that accompanies the viewer as he looks at the work acts as a guide into a world of soft light, and the floating time is created by the pink light that dissolves the rabbit as he looks at the work, allowing him to merge with the surroundings. The environment is characterised by poppies, which can be interpreted as symbols of transience and contemplation. The scent of the product is seductive, giving the viewer a feeling of weightlessness.

Image: Shama
Shama: Das Erwachen (The awakening) / Oil painting, 95x123cm, 2025

The Awakening
The moment of transition depicted is characterised by an ambivalence that moves between the spheres of dream and reality, fantasy and fact, the imaginary and the real. The central figure, whose gaze is directed towards the scene depicted in the painting, experiences a return to reality, while his faithful companion, a rabbit, remains in the world of dreams. The central figure awakens while the rabbit remains in the dream world, in a place characterised by softer light and a different sense of time. At the centre of the picture is the sun, whose light bathes the scene in a soft gold. Surrounding it are sunflowers, their glowing heads turned towards the light, as if forming a bridge between heaven and earth. It is a moment of pause before returning to reality. The boundary between dream and reality is fleeting, erased by the light of the rising sun as the morning progresses.

Image: Shama
Shama: Der Schatten des Mondes (Shadow of the moon) / Oil painting, 65x95cm, 2024

The shadow of the moon
What is behind the phenomenon of the shadow? Is it the fears of the individual that trigger the experience of the shadow? In this sense, it is necessary to follow the fears in order to discover the truth that they hide.

Image: Shama
Shama: Der Weg zur Sonne (The way to the sun) / Weaving (woollen yarn), 32x44cm, 2024

The path to the sun
As the sun rises and its rays fall, the world is bathed in a warm orange. This colour indicates the beginning of a new day. The light gradually breaks through the darkness of the night and evokes a collective awakening. The atmosphere is one of freshness and a sense of expectation that surrounds everything that was hidden in the darkness and now shapes and gives meaning to it. It is the moment of transition when night gives way to light and the world greets the sunrise with hope and a new beginning.

Image: Shama
Shama: Schneeweg (Snow path) / Oil painting, 33x44cm, 2022

The snowy path
The train races through the winter landscape, the window becoming the frame of a rapidly changing landscape. The snow-covered forest passes by in rapid images, each detail disappearing only to reappear in the next moment. The viewer feels the passage of time as he tries to capture each moment, to preserve each image. The snow, the trees, the haze, all melt into a flickering film of memory that can never be fully grasped, yet leaves a feeling of warmth and closeness. The viewer becomes part of the moment as it unfolds at the fast pace of the train, and every glance out of the window becomes a precious, unique experience.

Image: Shama
Shama: Silberwald (Silver forest) / Oil painting, 23x49cm, 2023

Silver Forest
The wintry landscape of the forest, covered in a grey blanket of snow, creates an atmosphere of silence that allows the perception of the slowing of time and the absence of sound. The purity of winter manifests itself in the absence of any surface impurities covered by snow. In this wintry setting, the forest is a silent environment that nevertheless exudes a special form of power. This manifests itself in a stillness that can be described as restless, which permeates the space and creates a sense of isolation from the world. The environment gives the impression of being frozen in anticipation, as if this wintry silence is just waiting to be broken by the first sound of the new day.