When The Sea was Blue echoes from Sirin Boubaker’s Horizon

Blue is a deal for people from the Mediterranean and it means a lot of things. It’s often seen as the color of endlessness, infinity, freedom and most importantly freewill. However, this color has always been associated with melancholy, sadness and deep emotional heartbreak.

Blue is what first catches your eye and looks amazing when you enter the exhibition hall. 

The exhibition named The Sea Still Remembers لما كان البحر أزرق makes it more clear. 

At that point you start wondering about blue. Is it about the color itself, the sea or something that represents it? Blue isn’t a color for the sea but it is also for the sky.

The artist, Sirin Boubaker was there to help visitors understand her work and journey better. Yosr Ben Ammar, the founder and gallery director of YBA Residency was also present. We had a chance to talk to both about the exhibition and the residency the artist attended. 

"When The Sea Was Blue" Exhibition at YBA Residency,Tunis. ©YK Photography

What caught our attention was that the open studio is located in "l’Bhar l’A’azrak البحر الازرق" neighborhood (which means "The Blue sea ", a neighborhood in Marsa, Tunis). 

These small details reinforce the theme of the exhibition between the location's name and the topic that showcases its relation to Blue. When you walk around the space, you’ll see that everything was touched by this color, but in multiple shades. It might seem like different varieties of blue were used to create those artworks. When we asked the artist she said the used shade of blue was the same. Nevertheless, with lighting and textures of fabric, stones, papers and other materials the color either faded or got stronger. The theme itself was inspired by a piece of a map that showed the Mediterranean basin, which was copied onto a piece of traditional Japanese paper. 

As we explored the open studio many questions came up. Engaging in a conversation with the artist however brought much-needed clarity to her creations.

We asked Sirin, Why don’t we see descriptions under each exhibited artwork? The artist replied "I wanted this exhibition to be limitless. I need no restraints, and that’s what the inspiration is. It is simply about blue, which represents the sea, and the sea is infinite.” 

We believe that the absence of labels beneath the artworks removes any intellectual barriers between the viewer and the canvas. By withholding text, the artist channels the boundless essence of the sea, and its elements invite visitors to experience the exhibition without preconceived limits or structural restraints.

A particular main Artwork

We asked the artist, What is your most interesting artwork and why do you perceive it as very important? 

Sirin pointed to what’s actually our favorite tableau, a white on white tile with a blue imprinted image on it. A touching artwork that left us transfixed. It was realized on layered pieces of cloth representing a girl and a bird in human shape, or what she calls “the Force”.

The Force we’re talking about over here, is all the struggles the artist went through.

We see three phases of this connection. The bird signifies freedom but a spirit animal for the artist as it was one of the main figures in her childhood. The artist had it tattooed on her arm. Said that birds are a metaphor for freedom as they don’t need formalities or paperwork to visit any place they want, near or far.

"When The Sea Was Blue" Exhibition at YBA Residency,Tunis. ©YK Photography

The Symbolism of Birds

Barn Swallows in particular are known for coming back home where they have left their nests over autumn and returning in spring. This cycle of life is about coming to oneself after each hardship to a place or person that feels like home.

Sirin's works are strongly connected to questions of memory, migration, cartography, displacement and the Mediterranean as a lived territory.

"When The Sea Was Blue" Exhibition at YBA Residency,Tunis. ©YK Photography

The Power of Art

When you move from piece to piece you can see how the infinite blue is a witness of freedom and infinity, yet, with a touch of controversy and depression. Long as we dream of freedom we will always be reminded that it’s a restraint for some people. Art is still a way to break through to touch souls in a way to deliver feelings that are sensitive. In this case art becomes subjective. It can be the freedom as well as the bird that holds the artist's hand to overcome hardships.

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Bibliography 

• Exhibition Report-Feature by: F.Triki Edited by: A.Dhouib

  for MAM magazine.

• YBA Art Residency – Official Website : https://yosrbenammargallery.com/RESIDENCY  

www.myartmagazine.eu