Enari Gallery is pleased to present Resonances, a duo exhibition featuring the works of Hiva Alizadeh and Sophie Ullrich. This exhibition brings together two distinct artistic practices that explore themes of identity, narrative, and abstraction.
Luuk Hoogewerf, curator of the exhibition, shares his vision: “Resonances seeks to unravel the connections that resonate within both the artists and their works. I first encountered Sophie’s work in December 2018—a small white painting featuring the Egyptian god Horus, symbolized by a falcon, paired with an open tin of ravioli. Two seemingly unrelated motifs, yet their symbolic resonance made me pause and reflect. The first time I saw Hiva’s ‘hairy’ works was in 2020 at Art Rotterdam. From afar, their vibrant compositions appeared as color-field abstractions, but up close, they revealed a shimmering, tactile world of synthetic hair flowing like paint from the walls. Both Sophie and Hiva's practices have resonated with me profoundly over time, and I couldn’t be more pleased to present them together at Enari Gallery in Amsterdam.
As a collector, I always advise collecting artists from our own generation through galleries founded by people from the same generation. When I began my collection, I found that acquiring works by contemporary artists—those who share my generational context—allowed me to connect more deeply with the ideas, trends, and concerns that resonate with our own time.”
In Sophie Ullrich’s paintings, her figures are reduced to basic outlines and stylized forms. Ullrich injects humor and irony into her work as both a critique and celebration of popular culture. Her surreal figures, with elongated limbs and missing heads, introduce absurdity and playfulness, echoing the ironic tone of Pop Art.
With a direct reference to consumer products like Korean Chi-eers! Chicken Ale, Ullrich mirrors Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup cans. Her simplified, schematic backgrounds, exaggerated figures, and use of advertising imagery reflect on the oversaturation of visual imagery in contemporary culture, subtly commenting on how people, much like consumer products, are often reduced to basic representations in mass media.
Hiva Alizadeh employs colored synthetic hair to craft paintings and sculptures that evoke sensations of suspension, vibration, and weightlessness. Inspired by Iran's rich history, diverse religions, and ancient myths, Alizadeh uses hair as a potent symbol of identity, time, and the human experience.
Through his art, Alizadeh utilizes color as the primary means of expression, exploring its emotional, psychological, and spiritual impact. By juxtaposing vibrant hues, he creates a sense of depth and resonance that transcends the material world. This approach aligns with the broader tradition of abstraction, aiming to evoke the sublime and immerse viewers in an experience of pure color and space rather than focusing solely on the act of creation.
Resonances invites viewers to explore the interplay between Alizadeh's tactile, conceptually rich creations and Ullrich's narrative-driven, abstract compositions. Together, their works create a dialogue that examines the intersections of materiality, identity, and storytelling in contemporary art.