Dreaming at Sunset is an homage to ritual, spirituality, and shared human histories. The mermaid reclines in water dotted with translucent lotuses and light waves. The setting sun in the magenta sky reflects out along the surface of the water in gold, washed highlights framing the figure. Part of a recent body of work concerning myth and oral tradition, Schahbaz's mermaids were born when the artist emerged from a deep period of sadness. Engaging in the breadth of cultures with female sea creatures and goddesses, such as the Inuit Sedna, West Africa Mami Wata, or the South East Asian Suvannamaccha, the artist created her own myth of a woman's gulf of tears and sadness, blessing her with a magical tail to swim the sea of her tears and find strength in vulnerability. The artist has hand-embellished the edition with a combination of watercolor, gouache, gold leaf, collaged birds and flowers, and a written blessing, making each print a unique work.
Hiba Schahbaz
Dreaming at Sunset, 2022
18 x 24 inches
Archival pigment print
Limited Edition of 10 with 6AP + 1PP
Hand-embellished, signed, and numbered by the artist
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