As humans, we find ourselves ascribing to a diverse set of ideologies. Whether this occurs from an alignment of principles, self-interest, societal pressure, or even propaganda, we cannot defy our nature to be consumed by these systems of thought and belief. Exploring this human phenomenon is contemporary painter Mohammad Jamal Alkhoory. In his 2023 series entitled “The Fading Pupils”, of which three of the eight works from this collection are exhibited, Alkoory illuminates the way in which we become inextricably intertwined with our doctrines.

Each work features a vast background filled with patterns, colors, and gradients occasionally accompanied by a more figurative element such as the branches of a tree or geometric accents. Scattered across the work are markings, like some unknown primordial symbology. These symbols, however, are eyes with the pupils disintegrating into the same shades presented in the background. In this fusion of the anatomical elements to the landscape, Alkhoory raises notions of how shared ideologies cloud our independent thoughts as each individual eye melds with its surroundings. Our motives for doing so differ from person to person - authentic devotion, fear of rejection, and even a base need to survive through assimilation. Whether these systems of thought be political, social, familial, or simply matters of taste, they instigate inherently dueling dualities that exist, dividing us, perpetuating falsehoods, and instilling intergenerational traumas.

“The Fading Pupils” speaks to our simultaneous individuality and unifying features as humans. While our beliefs vary wildly, with bias and intensity, we all experience the need to find and ascribe to our own set of ideologies. Nonetheless, Alkhoory’s work forces a session of introspection. We are asked to question our ideologies, our relationships with them, and how they shape our realities. His paintings are calls to action, reminding us to fight against complacency and blind acceptance in favor of speaking our own truths.