Painting
Tragedy
- Description
- Acrylic on canvas painting titled Tragedy by Salma Arastu and completed in 2001. The painting depicts the ghost of an airplane flying into depictions of the Twin Towers. At the base of the towers appear white dots resembling a flood of people. At the top is smoke veiling the upper portion of the towers. On the left side of the painting abstract dark figures cover their faces. The right side portrays an abstract image of military personnel and planes being deployed.
- Historical Notes
-
Visual artist Salma Arastu watched the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks unfold on television from her home in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. At the time, she was helping to plan her daughter’s wedding, scheduled for September 21, 2001. Due to the events that transpired, the wedding was postponed.
When Arastu was able to return to her studio, she immediately began to paint. One of the resulting pieces, titled Tragedy, depicts her immediate interpretation of the event.
Curator's Comment
Salma Arastu is a visual artist who works mainly as a sculptor and painter. The youngest of 10 siblings, Arastu was born in Rajasthan, India, in 1950 with a significant handicap: her left hand was missing its fingers. Nonetheless, she decided to pursue fine arts as a field of study in college and went on to receive an MFA degree while still living in India. From a very early age, Arastu was influenced by her interests in the human spirit and figure and was inspired to create artwork celebrating the ideals of unity. By combining western painting techniques with eastern spirituality, Arastu’s art reflects her ongoing search for tranquility and human harmony.
In speaking about her 9/11 related piece, Tragedy, Arastu stated: “All I know is that the ‘tragedy’ was deep set in my heart after viewing [the terrorist attack] on the television. I felt heaviness in my heart and felt choked. I had to spread the remaining roll of my canvas in the studio on the wall to release myself of this burden and I painted it until I could sit down and cry. That helped and I felt lighter.”
Arastu painted for three continuous days; during breaks to let the canvas dry, she also composed smaller artworks and poems related to 9/11.
In speaking about her 9/11 related piece, Tragedy, Arastu stated: “All I know is that the ‘tragedy’ was deep set in my heart after viewing [the terrorist attack] on the television. I felt heaviness in my heart and felt choked. I had to spread the remaining roll of my canvas in the studio on the wall to release myself of this burden and I painted it until I could sit down and cry. That helped and I felt lighter.”
Arastu painted for three continuous days; during breaks to let the canvas dry, she also composed smaller artworks and poems related to 9/11.
- Accession Number: C.2015.85.1
- Dimensions: 54 in X 100 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 137.16 cm X 254 cm
- Source: Kathleen Reilly
- Credit Line: Gift of JB Reilly and Kathleen Waterbury Reilly
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