Abstraction

In his practice, the Iraqi artist and theorist Shakir Hassan Al Said turns form, symbols, and surface into a site for spiritual exploration. Through expressive and gestural experimentation, he searches for what lies beyond the visible world.

Al Said’s interest in Sufi philosophy and deconstructive art theory is clear in “Abstraction”. This three-dimensional work reflects both the artistic process and a spiritual journey. By burning the edges of wooden panels, Al Said turns the act of burning into a creative choice that symbolises renewal. He also adds holes and scratches to the surface, showing the interplay between the seen and hidden, and between the known and unknown.

A key element is the grid with dots. This feature first appeared during Al Said’s embrace of the One Dimension Group philosophy in the 1970s. This grid hints to the unity of the cosmos and provides a contemplative space.