Achievement

$4,950

29in x 47.5in
Acrylic on canvas
Tesfalem Atenaw

Through this piece, the artist tries to depict the human effort to transcend relationship. The stretched arm with the hand attempting to catch the butterfly represents the human aspiration to grasp the things that are beyond its capabilities. It can also tell about the dream to possess beauty and freedom, hence the deep desire to understand the world around us.

The combination of contradicting colors and pieces of geometric shapes evokes a sense of tension and dynamism that can symbolize the complex human experience. And the half-lit, featureless face hints emotions hidden deep inside and secrets of the mind. Ultimately this piece invites the audience to revise their own aspirations in life and contemplate the interrelationship of every existence. Symbolically, the butterfly can represent change, hope, or the fleeting nature of life. And the stretched hand can symbolize age or sacrifice. The use of emphasized negative and positive spaces is a compositional attempt to evoke tension and balance while the potent colors invoke energy and hope.