Carriers of Light (2012) Original Acrylic Painting by Hannah Barlag

This is one of my original paintings from my student years a piece I am happy to have kept and that still feels meaningful to me today.
The composition features several figures carrying woven baskets of tropical fruit on their heads, painted in deep warm tones against a background of blue, gold and soft lavender. Gold mosaic patterns and references to sun and moon cycles run through the piece, giving it a ceremonial, timeless feel.
Golden mosaic patterns radiate like suns across the canvas, while a moon glows softly in the background a quiet meditation on cycles, harvest, and feminine strength. The mixed-media surface combining paint with gold leaf and textural elements gives the work a rich, almost sacred quality, reminiscent of Byzantine icons reimagined through an Afrocentric lens. Every layer rewards closer looking.
The jewellery and adornments on the figures were important to me each detail speaks to dignity and strength.
This painting holds a special place for me it is one of the earliest works in which I can recognise the beginnings of the visual language and values that still shape my art today. Letting it go feels like sharing a piece of my own story.

Materials used:

acrylic paint

Details:

• Acrylic painting on Panel / Board / MDF
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 80 x 110 x 1cm (unframed)
• Signed on the back
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: People and portraits

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