Ida

Inspired by a reoccurring dream the artist had as a child, ‘Ida’ portrays a female figure surrounded by golden Koi. In the dream, the bedspread would consume the artist and drag her into the dark abyss before fragmenting into golden Koi and swimming away, leaving her alone in the darkness.

Capturing the duality of this experience – the weight of being consumed by a bad dream and the hope that comes from the smallest sources of light – this artwork embodies the delicate dance between the unknown and known and comfort and fear.

The goldfish symbolises the escape and a sense of freedom, becoming a symbol of resilience and solace in the darkness.

With bright blonde hair, ‘Ida’ has an ethereal presence and delicate features, making the artwork feel mysterious yet innocent upon the dark background. This contrast is created using an artistic technique called chiaroscuro, which creates a pronounced distinction between areas of light and dark within a composition. This technique can be widely seen in the Renaissance and Baroque movements.

'Down at the bottom of the deep blue sea, catching fishes for my tea'.

This artwork is a hand-signed giclée on canvas board and can be purchased in a framed set.

Find out more about this collection here or shop more Shazia's art here.