Inhale Me is a detail from a new series realized by Shervin/e Sheikh Rezaei during her residency at the School of Gaasbeek and recently shown at Cultuurcentrum Strombeek.

The series consists of big and small works that are rhythmically connected through returning patterns, circles and broken lines. Every work is built in layers: rigid pencil lines are interchanged with an organic play of graphical shapes, stains and smudges. Pieces of lace, collages, and words add another storyline to it. Words play a central role. They seem forceful, almost commanding – through phrases such as “use me” or “fear me”. Are they orders, memories, desires or echo’s from recent news?

Within PLAKT Rezaei chose a detail from one of the bigger works: fragile pencil lines next to the powerful words inhale me. By bringing this fragment to public space, the meaning changes. What seemed like an intimate message at first turns out to contain a political side. Is it a love letter to the city? A call to ecological activism? Both at the same time? Rezaei deliberately leaves the answers to these questions open – wherein hides the power of her work.