The
known way is an impasse. ~ Heraclitus
IMPASSE
The word “Impasse” in the language of our ancestors — from whom our father Abraham, the patriarch of the Hebrew nation, descended — was “SILA, suqāqu.” This word came to my mind as I was looking at a marble sculpture of a nude female from the Uruk period, dating back to c. 4000 BC. That statue represents one of the finest examples of the artistic advancement that blended abstraction and realism. Even though I usually think of the “Lion of Eridu” sculpture when I refer to blending abstraction and realism. In fact, “Lion of Eridu” is another figurative artwork that skillfully employs simplified lines and abstracted details.
For years, I had aspired to create an artwork inspired by both of these ancient artworks, yet for one reason or another, I never did.
During a visit to the British Museum, my eyes fell upon a terracotta sculpture crafted by my brilliant ancestors, titled “The Goddess of the Night.” It depicts the goddess Ereshkigal, deity of the underworld, executed in a simplified style that reduces the multitude of details typically found in such magnificent works. There is a striking resemblance between the pictographic word “Sila” and a visual feature that immediately draws the viewer’s eye — one that also appears repeatedly in statues of the Mesopotamian Mother Goddess, symbol of fertility, dating back to the 6th millennium BC.
Eventually, I decided to create the artwork, titled “Impasse,” which embraces the simplification of form and color in a way that echoes the achievements of my ancestors — the founders of the cradle of civilization. It also takes my Logogramism style on step further.
To achieve such a mixture, I used only neutral colors (black, white, and their gradations) in acrylics combined with natural materials such as sand and glue, in order to give an impression of the intersection point between doubt and certainty, as well as greater gravity to capture the viewer’s attention.
This
artwork appears to the observer as simple as it is complex, and as mysterious
as it is clear. And so, the viewer stands before it, wondering and uncertain —
is it an impasse or a solution?
Subject: Impasse
Technique:
Acrylic & Mixed Media on Hardboard Canvas
Measurements:
22 x 28 Inches
Date: October
2025
Price:
$23,000
