At first glance, Vahidi’s expressionist canvases may appear populated by grotesque, decaying figures that embody the artist’s most private fears. However, a closer look reveals dynamic scenes of perpetual regeneration and transformation.

Although its sparse and symmetrical composition is somewhat uncharacteristic of Vahidi’s work, the untitled landscape showcased at this exhibition is representative of the subtly unfolding expression of hope and resilience that characterizes her contradictory aesthetic. The scene depicted in “Untitled I” evokes a post-apocalyptic wasteland, yet it carries a dynamism and promise of renewal in the expressive layers of paint that form the ground and the childlike strokes that represent clouds.

Vahidi views “Untitled II” and other paintings from the 190 Days series as magnified images of the ever-morphing lifeforms developing within the layers of this landscape. With a ground that breathes and a sky that crawls, Vahidi’s wasteland is defiantly teeming with life.