Hamid Zeayaian introduces ‘one degree of separation’ to draw judges’ commendation, practitioner, for his skillfully detailed and serenely calm pencil studies
A highly controlled work; the quality of reflection on the water is wonderful
Zeayaian’s detailed pencil studies, despite being imaginary buildings, have a Calvino-like sense of measured dreaminess – as if sited in some alternative reality running parallel to our own. The artist is as evocative in his words: ‘Sometimes the architecture originates from form and concludes in form; sometimes, the inception of the architecture is in the mind and grows into the form. Occasionally, the architecture starts from the heart, travels through the mind and emerges in the form.’
Eva Jiřičná was impressed by them as a set, feeling there was ‘real skill at work here – the windows and the trees are beautifully rendered,’ and both Benedict Langlands and Nikki Bell loved the section through a vaulted undercroft. Arinjoy Sen felt it to be ‘highly controlled work; the quality of reflection on the water is wonderful.’ Ultimately, it was that ‘one degree of separation’ quality that drew the judges to the work and held them there, in what Langlands called ‘its serene calmness.’