Abstract Portraits, a series of works by Cyan Garma
“This is a series of abstract portraits I’ve been working on in the past few months during quarantine. If I’m being honest I couldn’t say exactly what they are about. During this time, I was in one of the heaviest bouts of depression I’ve experienced in the last few years. While making these paintings I was forced to question a lot of things and I think I got a little lost along the way. In addition, I felt like, due to everything that has been going on in the world, the way I was feeling was invalid and this led to a lot of guilt and confusion.
These paintings were a departure from the more surreal and illustrative work I usually make. It was really cathartic and helped to put my feelings and the rest of my work into context. Like many of the figures in the paintings I felt short moments of clarity and rest in what felt like one of the most mentally turbulent times ever. This was mirrored by the process of making the work where I would begin each piece by making a chaotic environment of abstract elements and would be forced to make sense of it all by shading and outlining the various shapes and textures. Though this has been a difficult time, I’m still processing things in my life and the work and trying to find meaning in the chaos.” – Cyan Garma
Instagram: @cyangarma
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