FOR A MANDATORY PARADISE

Crux Galerie, on the side of its scheduled programme, hosts the interval show “For a mandatory Paradise”, a solo exhibition by O.Lala.

O.Lala is an Iranian artist. Working under a pseudonym allows her to secure her anonymity and freedom of expression in uncertain times. Her current body of work is a critical take on undeniable facts and events that are happening all over the world, and in her country in particular, at this very moment. O.Lala’s artistic practice cannot exist independently from her identity as an Iranian woman.

“For a mandatory paradise” is a selection of intimate drawings that deal with a contemporary representation of femininity, love and sexuality (pornography). These works are the artist’s response to the notion of paradise as a promise exclusively for righteous men. A word of Persian origin, “paradise” is a notion closely related to the artist’s upbringing and experience. A concept of a promised land of the afterlife that was mostly described from a male perspective and often made her feel excluded as a woman. In her work, O.Lala ignores a promise that makes her feel alienated and proposes a world that is conceived and inhabited by women, excluding any male presence. Intuitive, explicit and often humorous, her drawings show women enjoying themselves or each other, liberated from any restrictions.

These women are free to expose their bodies and desires, experiment with their sexuality and express a wide range of emotions. More importantly, they stand in solidarity to other women and support one another, just as O.Lala stands in solidarity to her fellow Iranian women and their current struggles.

O.Lala has lived and worked in Europe since 2014, after obtaining her Fine Arts Master’s degree in the Netherlands. She is currently based in Rome.

In the context of the exhibition, O.Lala will present and discuss her work with invited guests during an artist’s talk. The conversation is organised and moderated by Molly Andrianou and will take place on Monday November 7th at 19:00 at Crux Galerie.