V1:S1:0NS

Sultan Bin Fahad explores themes of national identity and temporal phases as expressed by light with his work V1:S1:0NS. The piece is a large, building-like installation that echoes a retro-futuristic style by channeling both classic science fiction and architectural Brutalism. Unlike most of his other works, V1:S1:0NS is not accessible for exploration by the audience; the trapezoidal structure, while appearing inviting with its grand stairway, does not have an entrance. The viewer is able to marvel at the structure as a sculptural element and to view its concealed insides only by ascending the stairs and peeking through the slit window. In addition to being the only insight into the piece, the window also acts as a shining beacon of the light within. The interior of the work contains stained-glass shapes that are symbolically resonant to Saudi cultural identity: these elements hang on the inside of the building and their reflection can be seen through the window by way of a labyrinth of mirrors, engaging the imagination of the audience with a blossom of color and glittering lights. This, in effect, seeks to replicate how optical functions work, drawing on the ways in which the eyes process light in the reception of images.

V1:S1:0NS, 2023 ©Sultan Bin Fahad
Commissioned by RCRC and Riyadh Art