Abdollah Nafisi Iranian, b. 1982

At its core, Neighbours is a sculptural inquiry into the tension between presence and absence, materiality and the immaterial, movement and stillness.

The work invites us to reflect on the paradox of self-perception, the way we seek to define ourselves through the tangible world, yet remain in pursuit of something always just beyond reach.

The structure is divided between two forces. On one side, a triangular weighted form is anchored firmly to the ground, symbolising the physical body, the realm of weight, stability, and material existence attached to it. A small treasure bottle evokes the investments we make in the material world, our possessions, ambitions, and the structures we build.

Opposite, the sculpture extends outward into an open form, balanced yet untethered, representing the lightness of the immaterial, the space of breath, air, and the unseen.

Two horns extend in opposite directions, channeling these forces. One hums with the density of structure and accumulation, while the other carries wind, movement, and the fleeting nature of presence. Between them, a small suspended yellow vessel remains poised at the threshold, a fragment of clarity in constant motion, existing between weight and release.

Yet, the sculpture is not only seen, it is felt. As viewers step into the space between the horns, they do not simply observe the work; they experience it. The air moves differently here. The sound of rustling leaves and shifting wind is funnelled through the structure, making the unseen perceptible. This moment, where what is usually unnoticed becomes amplified, is where the work truly exists.

This is the paradox of chasing the self.