Kostabi, Paul - Unable To Fall Into The Dream, 2025 - ea - hand signed

Unable To Fall Into The Dream

Giclee on Hahnemühle cotton paper

Hand-signed and marked x/5 EA

Edition: Clever-Art (dry stamp)
Year: 2025

Edition: 5 EA
Note: The numbering on the sheet differs from the photo!

Size: 61 x 40 cm
Condition: in very good condition

Paul Kostabi's "Unable To Fall Into The Dream" reflects the artist's complex exploration of identity, consciousness, and inner conflict. The work showcases Kostabi's characteristic chaotic, abstract style, in which sharp geometric forms blend with swirling organic shapes. The central figure appears fragmented, with exaggerated features, intense eyes, and overlapping layers of color that suggest a fractured sense of self. The strong use of reds, blues, and grays creates an emotional tension that suggests a struggle between passion, melancholy, and detachment.

The figure's head is enveloped in an explosion of swirling blue lines, symbolizing thoughts or emotions that seem to be pouring out uncontrollably, perhaps representing the challenge of managing one's subconscious. The structure on the right, with its ladder-like form and circular motifs, could suggest the pursuit of clarity or the ascent to a higher understanding, yet the figure appears trapped in a moment of uncertainty.

Kostabi's choice of the title "Unable To Fall Into The Dream" adds another layer of meaning, highlighting the tension between reality and the desired escape into dreams. The work resonates with the theme of existential frustration, as the individual seeks the dream world but cannot fully immerse themselves in it, remaining in a state of suspended reality.