This Artist’s Works Are a Masterpiece of Light and Shadow

There’s so much power in darkness — it’s mysterious, tempting, terrifying. The imagination runs wild when the eyes have little to hold onto. And London-based artist Zulfi Alarakhia has decided to use that power in his art.

Zulfi is a contemporary artist with a distinct style. He uses pastel pencils and charcoal to draw striking images. The darks background allows whim to create the illusion of darkness and shadows, and the bright pastels create the feeling of bright light. Most of his drawings are of women partly hidden in the darkness, with a hidden source of light casting a bright light of parts of their body or face. These mysterious silhouettes stir the imagination – who is this woman? Why is she half-hidden in the shadows?

“I create my portraits in a simple but realistic manner but also with an abstract element, almost as if I were deconstructing them. I like to portray the women I paint as warriors, to show that they are stronger than they believe. I show there power and grace with face markings and textures. I want women to feel empowerment and that shows through in my work.”

Unfortunately, the artist does not have a website, and he previously deleted his instagram. These are all the works that I could find.

More: LinkedIn