Arabella Dorman – Before The Dawn, La Galleria Pall Mall, 5B Pall Mall, 30 Royal Opera Arcade, London SW1
Flying the Afghan Flag, Field Study
This exhibition is the product of the artist’s trips to Afghanistan over the past five years and as her pictures clearly reveal she lived alongside both the local people and the armed forces. Her images show how lives are affected by conflict, whether troops or the local people – especially the children, of whom those under fourteen make up almost half of the population. She also depicts the landscape that is the background to daily life and conflict.
The Extraction, 2013,
Oil on Canvas, 30 x 44 in, 2014
Arabella has been sponsored in this project by the Afghan entrepreneur Mirwais Alizai who became the family breadwinner at an early age. He says of her works Her work gets behind the stories and headlines to capture Afghanistan and the lives of its people that are hidden from Western eyes. Arabella depicts the real country – a place where the darker effects of conflict are balanced by optimism and ambition. In doing so, she powerfully portrays progress and hope and attests to a deep understanding of the Afghan people and locale.
King of the Skies,
Watercolour, 20 x 14 in, 2014
There is an Afghan proverb which says – However tall the mountain is, there’s a road to the top of it. Let us sincerely hope given the sacrifices made and endured that it may be travelled and prove a peaceful place for all.
The Ploughers,
Oil on Canvas, 36 x 54 in, 2014
There are a series of fundraising events in aid of Afghanaid and Walking With The Wounded with expert guest speakers.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, (Series of 9),
Oil on Canvas, 30 x 38 in, 2014
all images are copyright
Tim Forrest's E & A 