By Angela Romeo
Art is so many things. It can put a smile on one’s face. It can move one to tears. The power of art is boundless. Zara Kand has found that art can also be a journey through the subconscious.
“I paint that which I find mysterious,” said Zara. The artist herself evokes an allure of the unknown. Intelligence, talented, well read and beautiful Zara is her own best work of art.
While Zara has success as a musician, her true calling is though her painting. Her oil paintings have an ethereal feel and yet remain grounded on this plane. Symbolism aside, the viewer needs to be able to relate, and Zara’s work is attainable. The emotions are part of the subconscious, dark or light, Zara’s work brings into reality what words cannot do.
“In my work, the language of my paintings, often consists of symbolism, curious landscapes familiar yet distant, and figures that are often as confused as we are, “she said. “As a species that is constantly questioning its existence, I like to express the vulnerability in knowing that we may never have all the answers, yet continue searching nonetheless. I paint settings that emphasize the emotional state of the character, and often tie in symbolist elements that I hope the viewer will ponder for awhile.”
Flower Dance is an interesting piece. It is a study of light, dark and the freeing of the soul. The work is haunting as one is left to ponder if the figure is freed from her dream or being held captive by it. It stands in stark contrast to Desert Remains. Again it is the surreal landscape that leaves the viewer with an uncomfortable sense of the familiar.
“In Flower Dance, I hope that the viewer feels uplifted when they see it, as it also represents the strength necessary to detangle from fears and reach for ones ideals,” continued Zara.
“I enjoy the process of unearthing interesting ideas and then manifesting them on the canvas, I feel so lucky to be able to materialize my thoughts this way. I try not to worry about the judgment of others during the creation process, however it is important to me that in the end, the works serve as a kind of positive contribution to the world and that the viewer does feel touched by them in some way.”
But words are also important to Zara. Zara Kand and Jean-Paul Garnier opened the Space Cowboy Books, a science fiction bookstore in Joshua Tree. Reading and creative writing have a place. As Zara explained,” Space Cowboy Books has become a place for the local community to hangout and share ideas, be it about literature or art. We host poetry and fiction readings, book releases, writing workshops, book giveaways for children, movie nights –it is our immense joy to provide a space for creatives to come together in this way!”
Her work has been shown in galleries across the globe. Zara Kand knows her calling and the art world is richer for that.
For more information visit http://zarakand.com
