Orkhan Hajili
“The materials I have chosen to use serve my purpose because of the clear and emotionally charged response they evoke. These mediums already have a strong mental imagery that is attached to them. Around the world, they are still used to either help build dreams or destroy the dreamers. My hope is that you will feel the emotion attached to the medium and then see the possibility that can arise from choosing to create rather than destroy. It is my belief that most of the mans’ loftiest pioneering endeavors are hard to manifest and the surface of my art is as hard as the matter. I feel it is fitting that I have used the heat of a torch to bring about the shadows of lines and furrows seen in the faces at hand. The heat and of the torch reminded me of purifying strength that is forged by a fire while simultaneously illuminating altruistic philosophies and new concepts. The individual’s I have chosen are a testimony to the fact that man’s loftiest endeavors are often brought about at a cost that is high. Throughout history, art has been used as a weapon of war, so it seemed fitting to take a weapon of war and make it art. The “Fallen Heroes ” series, Abraham, JFK, John Lennon and Gandhi all have one thing in common, In their effort to unite people, they all paid the ultimate price.” – David Palmer
