Hayv Kahraman's 'What cannot be said will be wept' at Pilar Corrias
Hayv Kahraman's exhibition 'What cannot be said will be wept' at Pilar Corrias in London explores grief, displacement, and the dissolution of self through paintings of female figures in water. The show was shaped by the Eaton Fire in January 2025, which destroyed Kahraman's home in Altadena, California, echoing her childhood displacement from Iraq during the first Gulf War. The title is attributed to Sappho. Kahraman uses a marbling technique, submerging linen canvases in water and pigment, to mirror themes of immersion and surrender. Works include 'Ancestral Tides' (2026), 'Choke and Tear Beads' (2026), 'Three Figures in Spiral' (2026), 'Brittle Star' (2026), 'Eyes in Waters' (2026), 'Ocean lines' (2026), and 'Squatting figure and tears' (2026). Figures wear swimsuits patterned with Kurdish textiles, and their inward-turned eyes reference biometric surveillance. The exhibition runs until 5 September.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'What cannot be said will be wept' by Hayv Kahraman at Pilar Corrias, London.
- Title attributed to Sappho.
- Kahraman's home in Altadena, California was destroyed by the Eaton Fire in January 2025.
- Kahraman fled Iraq with her family during the first Gulf War at age ten.
- Paintings feature female figures in swimsuits with Kurdish textile patterns.
- Marbling technique involves submerging linen canvases in water and pigment.
- Works include 'Ancestral Tides', 'Choke and Tear Beads', 'Three Figures in Spiral', 'Brittle Star', 'Eyes in Waters', 'Ocean lines', 'Squatting figure and tears' (all 2026).
- Exhibition runs until 5 September.
Entities
Artists
- Hayv Kahraman
- Sappho
Institutions
- Pilar Corrias
- Canvas
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Altadena
- California
- United States
- Iraq