The den of the man with hollow eyes
Payam Qelichy
Jan 15, 2021 – Feb 12, 2021

Payam Qelichy (b.1993, Arak, Iran) has a Bachelor's in painting from Tehran University of Arts. In his works, Qelichy draws from art history, mythological stories, and the defamiliarization techniques and creates grotesque and non-linear multi-sceneries. His stunning paintings that are not marked by any specific time or geography have been created upon dreams. The paintings are very dynamic, and to fully grasp these works, the viewer must focus all his senses and concentrate on looking. The limitless power of Qelichy's imagination in his paintings has created an uncanny and contradictory mixture of human beings and nonhuman creatures that fascinates his viewers. The exhibition "The den of the man with hollow eyes" is on view from January 15 through February 12 at Bavan Gallery.
In his first solo exhibition, the artist tells a mystical story with an irrational and mysterious language in a chaotic atmosphere. His works, with their resemblance to the performing arts, create sceneries full of conflict and movement. Most of Qelichy's paintings are made of three aspects: parts that are drawn from news photography, parts that are the artist's imaginative sketches, and a look at the history of art. Using pencils, Qelichy has created an eerie and ambiguous visual structure in which it is difficult to distinguish between imagination and reality. This material helps the artist to immerse himself in these images as much as possible, as it takes him a long time to create his works. With a critical look at the world, the artist depicts people in his drawings who seem to be overwhelmed with despair, fear, and regret. figures that are very similar to modern human beings and are trying in vain to free themselves from the situation they are trapped in. So they jump into a dark fantasy, a fantasy that gradually becomes a routine and devours them with its violent and destructive nature. The paintings have circular compositions to keep the audience in an infinite loop of imagination and exploration. "The den of the man with hollow eyes" series lives between two worlds that are mixed with surrealism. These works, while being dark and intense, have a kind of tenderness and affection. The line between violence and poetry in Qelichy's paintings can be seen in the coexistence of the softness of the shades and plants with the roughness of the nails and ruined stairs. Shades of grey make a kind of mixed contrast. These are seductive, complex, and terrifying works with peculiar energy that invites the viewer to look at a lost history.