Soheil Rad: Eternal Glory

Dubai, UAE – Leila Heller Gallery is pleased to announce artist Soheil Rad’s solo show ‘Eternal Glory’ opening on 28th February 2023.

In this collection of light sculptures, Soheil wants his audience to feel free, playful and connected. He invites them to a mystical dance with the rainbow colors of his artworks, from red of the root to purple of the crown. He inspires people to undertake this transformative journey from the arabesque patterns of the carpets on the ground to the chandelier on the ceiling. Through the usage of patterns and colors, he takes a rather mystical approach of connecting to the higher self which leads to unity with the universe. Rad hopes for the audience to experience his own journey of engaging with self and awareness with a spirit of nonjudgmental curiosity.

Rad tries to discover the truth through his practice as an artist. He is a firm believer in the power of aligning our core self to work through the chaos and confusion around. By making decisions and taking actions, while being grounded, can lead us to something greater than ourselves. In this series, Rad listened to his inner voice, and accepted the inner truth without rejecting it. Connecting to true emotions opened him up to the creative energy which reflects in his artworks. By standing on the carpets, one finds harmony within and the sense of being rooted, aligned in the right position, results the inner flow to transform into a dance and become fluid. Here is when, Rad wishes for his audience to feel true freedom and balance.

The unity of engagement of opposites such as masculine/feminine, Sun/Moon, Yin/Yang aspects of self, meeting in the third eye and finally the crown are open to allow for the expression of what happens when the inner transformation is complete. The carpets on the floor symbolize the root of our being. The direction of these objects is in the position to stand for prayer and connect to our higher selves. One travels beyond the earthly status to feel Nirvana and connects to the higher power. By understanding this powerful journey within, which leads to liberty, the connection with the universe follows. In this moment of connection with higher self, the inner harmony flows and dances towards eternity and that is the ‘Eternal Glory’

The process of creation transcends a single medium to expresses that once we are rooted to the core like the carpets, we will reach the highest dimension or vibration, which the chandelier represents, in its dancing and fluid forms. Core being the divine center from which everything originates, the source of all creation. The chandelier is metaphorical of an evolved head space, which leads to true harmony, balance and freedom. Through this collection, the artist reflects on himself and hopes to have his audience experience the same. He brings to notice that the answers to our queries exit within. When we take over the power within us, make peace with our true self, only then harmony starts to flow and light within starts to reflect to one’s own self and to the outside.

Behind Rad’s artwork lies the philosophy that by observing the world around us and reflecting on our experiences, knowledge and interactions, we can find our own reality and get connected to your true self. He has created this visual language of forms and colors, which he uses to express his feelings. Rad employs the use of a repetition and color theory to transform the mundane to the celebrated. He finds harmony in this interplay between the forms and the colors. Soheil is inspired by the power of human mind which creates its own reality through perception. This collection expresses the vertical channel running between the crown and base through the deepest center of our existence. It also highlights the balance we can find within ourselves in our mind which ultimately leads to freedom, flow and fluidity within.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Soheil Rad is an Iranian scenographer and light artist passionate about combining his design background in Italy with Iranian arts creating light sculptures and objects. Because of his fascination of ancient Iranian architecture from a very young age combined with his love for contemporary design, in 2006 he decided to move to Italy to follow his passion. After acquiring his Bachelors in product design from Florence and Masters in scenography from Milan, in 2016 he started to produce his limited edition light sculptures. Through these he mostly expressed the contrasts of the underground and conservative life in Iran with his scenic vision and came up with a concept that brought these two worlds together. He is now based between Milan and Teheran working as an artist and designer.