Crushed Like Fruit (The Kite Runner) - Limited Edition
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This piece is proudly on display within the iconic London Playhouse Theatre courtsey of Dark House Studio. (Last few remaining)
What happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime...
My interpretation of the incredibly powerful story by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini is a piece that focuses on the seemingly unbreakable bond between Amir and Hassan in a world where the innocence of youth is King. The Kite Runner was a natural choice for me as the battle between dark and light, evil and good frequently battle for supremicy within my work and Khaled’s narrative fits perfectly. Guilt and redemption feature prominently in the novel with a pivotal scene depicting an act of violence against Hassan that Amir fails to prevent. The latter half of the book centers on Amir’s attempts to atone for this transgression by rescuing Hassan’s son over two decades later.
For me this piece had to focus on the pomegranate tree, upon learning of it’s beautiful significance and multi-layered symbolism for the two boys friendship there was only ever one route for me. “There was a pomegranate tree near the entrance of the cemetery. One summer day, I used one of Ali’s kitchen knives to carve our names on it: ‘Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul’. Those words made it formal: The tree was ours.” The boys saw the tree as their special place and thought that nothing could take the friendship away from them. After the horrible tragedy that Amir witnesses with Hassan where the innocence of youth was stolen and crushed like fruit, the tree no longer holds the same meaning for the two of them. There is only one sin. and that is theft... I have created a scene that has been left wide open for interpretation and one for you to decide whether the tree is indeed dying or fighting back and to establish the links and the significance between the objects that exist within the sand-blown landscape of Kabul.
There is detail that comes out from the shadows, detail that for example might initially look like falling leaves from the dying tree but then move closer and you see that they are actually crows in the distance. Items have been placed next to each other that symbolise the gulf in contrast between fragile beauty and explosive destruction. I particularly love how Khaled set the pomegranate tree within the grounds of a cemetery to convey this powerful play between life and death and everything in-between. There is something intense about how one act, one decision made by you or another can simply crush all that is wonderful and living. I choose the title ‘Crushed Like Fruit’ for how it conveys that very destructive act, how something that is full of good can be so easily and aggressively taken by man’s actions, be that the brutal theft of Hassan’s innocence by Assef or the destruction of a beautiful country with all that remains being an empty shell.
Ultimately despite how intense the shadows may be there will exist light and light shines brightest when surrounded by darkness. It might take longer to make it’s way through but it always finds a way, two decades in this case but I am firm believer that true friendship never dies, it will wither and wilt but those with the strongest, deepest roots have blossomed and born fruit and can resist periods of drought and neglect. -
- Released: 2017
- Collection: Stagecraft
- Edition Size: 12 + 1AP
- Specification: Limited edition fine art print, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 29” x 22"
- Framed Size: 42” x 34"
- Available exclusively with Dark House Studio
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