Shiva Ahmadi’s contribution to Sanctuary features a Buddha-like character seated on a lotus throne. But unlike traditional depictions of the spiritual leader, her figure is defaced, bloodied, and perched precariously on a tangle of briars. Instead of Buddha, the enlightened teacher, the artist presents a mere mortal struggling to balance the weaponry of warfare, which could teeter out of hand at any moment. Ahmadi continually probes the confluence of Eastern and Western cultures, and the notion of unpredictable threats that often hide in plain sight. She asks viewers to look beyond the surface and consider the implications of our choices and actions, and she reminds us of the fine line that separates peace and destruction.
