The Valley (Fall 2021 Issue)

What is so fascinating about her works is how it almost disguises a dystopian
setting. The coloured pencils add a softness to the drawings, making it less
daunting. Rather than the scenes portraying distress, especially among the
characters, it seems as if everything and everyone are co-existing. In a way, the
drawings seem to give a feeling of hope and comfort. When we usually think of
the future, we usually think that the world is going to shut down and that
everyone will go against each other (thank you, media). Ashoona shows a
kinder version of the future, a future in which society does not have to be
worried, because of everyone co-existing. Ashoon using pencil crayons as one
of her main materials is unique. As mentioned previously, it is unusual to see
pencil crayons as one of the main materials for a piece, so to see it actually feels
refreshing to the eyes and it makes the viewer more aware of the drawings,
because they aren’t desensitized to the materials.
Shuvinai Ashoona, Composition (Attack of the Tentacle Monsters), 2015.
Courtesy of Dorset Fine Arts.
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