Firebird

Gestural Abstraction / Acrylic on Canvas

A flame burst in the darkest moment of the night... The legendary bird leaping from Stravinsky's ballet comes to life on canvas. This mesmerizing and bold abstract piece is one of the most dramatic and theatrical works in Özlem Zerey's collection. The intense ultramarine purple ground represents the infinite depth of night and the mystery of the cosmos, while the cadmium yellow, fire red, orange and neon pink forms exploding at the center symbolize an energy burst tearing through darkness, a mythological bird taking flight, a ballerina spinning on stage. The composition unites the bold simplicity of Henri Matisse's famous paper cut-outs, Fauvist color explosions and the gestural energy of abstract expressionism on a single surface.