Nadia Ayari - Artwork of the Month

Nadia Ayari’s practice straddles abstraction and figuration, moving between the personal and the political. The paintings are visual representations of the conditions Ayari lives and observes. The artist renders these scenes in thick, methodically applied oil paint to give the protagonists and the plastic space they inhabit a substantial skin, making them physically relatable.

With a set of characters inspired by the flora of her native Tunisia, Ayari’s work tackles narratives of survival. In recent years, a persistent new protagonist has brought fresh autonomy to her compositions. The pink flower has proliferated across her canvases, in a variety of forms with associated meanings. In Curving III, the flowers stand fiercely open, looking upwards at an angle as if preparing for impact.

The work has an air of stoicism, the floral figures appear fixed and unyielding, infused with power and strength. The flower is transformed into a mechanic-like form; organic matter has evolved into a simulated object. Their perfect repetition heightens the sense of fortification: they appear like shields, organized in line with next. This order and discipline is intercepted by the winding branch that weaves between them, adding a dynamism and movement to the composition that guides the viewer across the canvas.

The unique texture of Ayari’s paintings is just one of the work’s distinguishable strengths. The thick impasto and depth of colour is attained through the arduous process of carefully layered paint strokes. Her delicate and meticulous process produces a distinct patina that breathes life into the image. The three dimensionality of the forms, cast in a gradient light, is enhanced by the tactile and tangible surface of the paint.

Curving III is a brilliant example of Ayari’s virtuoso understanding and handling of oil paint and of her ability to communicate visually striking narratives.