Mandy El–Sayegh Blessings (莫傲), 2022
Blessings (莫傲) (2022) combines screen-printed images with hand-painted
elements, juxtaposing diverse materials drawn from newspapers and other
printed ephemera. Chinese characters drawn by the artist's father in the course of his calligraphy practice run vertically down the centre of the composition. Referencing Chinese blessing scrolls, this element imbues the work with a talismanic quality.
The canvas is primarily marked by reds and blues which emerge from the white wash characteristic of Mandy El-Sayegh's works. Its tones also borrow from anatomical sources, revealing a palette that is evocative of bruised skin. The artist draws an analogy between bruising and the layered compositions of her paintings: 'Formally, the bruise is an interesting thing to look at, as it's composed of layers. In the work, all forms are made up of layers be that of reference materials, fragments, colour, density or speech. There are always decontextualised layers attempting to form a new whole or body.'
