Ara Dolatian, Prosper, 2022. Glazed ceramics 56 x 28cm x 28cm. Courtesy: the artist and James Makin Gallery, Melbourne.

Ara Dolatian‘s interdisciplinary sculptural practice explores the relationship between cultural landscapes and ecological landscapes. Working primarily with ceramics, his works are hybrid ecosystems – models of utopian cities and sculptural experiments.

In Mythos of the Island, Dolatian directs his conceptual focus upon archaeological relics. His work examines cultural ecologies associated with lost and stolen artefacts within the Al-Jazira region, the area between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The ancient site of Mesopotamia, this region is often referred to as the ‘cradle of civilization’. The work is a tangible visual memory of sculptural deities, architectural forms and vessels. Eccentric forms with peculiar colour schemes are created with pleasing curves and fragile forms inspired by archaeological figures and decayed architectural sites.

Opening Event: Saturday 20 August, 2 – 4pm