The colour blue has had multiple meanings for artists across time. Ayesha Sultana welcomes this pluralistic view with this enchanting painting, which might appear simply monochromatic but is profound in its layers. The ideas of fluidity and adaption lay bare on the canvas, hosting the artist’s subtle presence. In the past, Ayesha has emphasised the process of making an artwork rather than looking at the outcome. Similarly, in Untitled, with thin coats of paint, she works on the canvas, letting it build over time. 

There is a remarkable focus on the process that Ayesha brings forth. One can visualise her painting as if it were a performance, the movement of the brush strokes like an imagined dance, the paint dripping on the canvas in arbitrary moments and then swathed passionately across in other moments. The dramaturgy can be interpreted as the feminine, the weight of the emotions borrowed perhaps from Ayesha’s travels as most of her works are autobiographical, portraying a versatile artist who uses elements of form, shape and colour to create enchanting and intriguing worlds inspired by her own experiences. 

These layers of paint unlock not just visual depth but a raw intensity, tapping into the emotive quality of the colour blue. Historically, it has represented royalty, heart-wrenching grief and even a slow comfort. In Untitled, blue encapsulates all—varied emotions, drama, pain and the idea of surrender. The concept of surrender comes through with the large-sized work, almost demanding a slow looking. One needs to deliberately step back to take it all in. The paint stains can be seen now, as if the artist watched the paint traverse down the canvas, like tears down a face, expressing a grief of the final act of letting go.