Tikran Bayat: Brass Sculpture of Movement and Calm

Some sculpture asks to be studied up close. Tikran Bayat's asks to be watched. His figures lean, rise and turn on their bases as if caught partway through a movement, and that sense of motion is what makes a Bayat brass sculpture so easy to live with: it changes as you walk past it, and again as the light moves through the day. This is a short guide to the works by Tikran Bayat in our sculpture collection, the series they belong to, the materials he uses, and how each piece sits in a room.

The material: patinated brass

Every Bayat work we carry is made in brass, and most are finished with a patina. Patination is the controlled darkening or colouring of a metal surface. It gives brass depth: polished high points catch the light, while the recesses stay dark, so the form reads clearly from across a room.

Bayat uses that contrast deliberately. On the heads and hands of his figures the brass is often left bright, while the body carries the darker, textured surface. In the Dancer of the Sea pieces the photographs show the patina turning a deep sea green, which suits a series built around water.

The base is part of the work

The second thing to notice is the plinth. Bayat does not treat it as a neutral stand. Across the works we offer he uses four different bases, and each one changes the piece:

• Obsidian crystal, dark and rough-cut, under the Dancer of the Sea figures and Seraphina 2
• White marble, pale and squared, under Love and Harmony and Seraphina 3
• Green marble, cut as a pyramid, under Voyage 1
• Wood, as a low rectangular plinth, under The Ballerina

The record for Love and Harmony puts it plainly: the contrast between dark patinated brass and pale marble is central to the series, with the plinth treated as part of the sculpture rather than a support.

Dancer of the Sea

The Dancer of the Sea series comes with the artist's own text. The dancers are described as beautiful creatures that dive deep into the waters within: pure and courageous souls, free of negativity, willing to discover their inner world. On their journey of self-discovery they swim with the waves and dance in harmony with nature.

Dancer of the Sea 2 measures 45 × 30 cm. The body opens out like a wave above the obsidian base, and the bright brass head sits at the top of the movement. Dancer of the Sea 3 is its companion, slimmer at 45 × 18 cm, with the figure leaning further into the motion. In the series text, obsidian is described as a protective stone, believed to shield against negativity and stimulate spiritual growth. Both are priced at AED 23,000.

Seraphina: height and a single line

In the Seraphina works Bayat goes taller. Both pieces stand 65 × 25 cm, and the extra height lets the figure hold one continuous line from base to crown. The brass is worked as a narrow, textured ribbon that rises, bends and returns.

The two differ only in their base, which makes them a good illustration of how much the plinth matters. Seraphina 2 stands on obsidian, which keeps the whole piece warm and dark. Seraphina 3 stands on white marble, which cools it and makes the brass read lighter against the stone. Each is AED 22,000.

Love and Harmony

In Love and Harmony a single patinated brass form rises from a white marble plinth and, near the top, divides into two heads leaning towards each other. From a distance it reads as one shape; up close, as two. At 59 × 25 cm it has real presence on a console or sideboard without dominating it. It is priced at AED 23,000.

Voyage 1

Voyage 1 is the most abstract of the group. A brass pathway curves upward from a green marble pyramid, carrying a small ornament along its length. The artist describes it as a narrative of personal voyages: everyone's path is different, our journey shapes us, and in return the pathway is shaped by us. The ornament represents the person, with their physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual dimensions. It measures 45 × 18 cm and is priced at AED 18,000.

The Ballerina

The Ballerina stands on a rectangular wooden plinth, arms raised above a wide, textured skirt that seems to swing out from the body. The artist's text is brief: beauty is simplicity, humbleness and imperfection, and above all a caring soul who gives us joy and helps us see the light. It measures 45 × 30 cm and is priced at AED 22,000.

Living with a Bayat sculpture

A few practical notes from the works themselves:

• Light from the side. Patinated brass rewards raking light. A window to one side, or a picture light angled down, brings out the texture far better than a ceiling spot directly above.
• Mind the background. The dark-based pieces (obsidian, wood) stand out against pale walls; the marble-based pieces work well against deeper colours such as green, navy or warm grey.
• Pairs work. Seraphina 2 and 3, or the two Dancer of the Sea figures, were made as companions. Placed a short distance apart on a long console, they read as a conversation.
• Height matters. At 45 to 65 cm these are tabletop and plinth pieces. Placed at about eye level when seated, the bright brass heads and hands sit right where your eye falls.

If you have followed our journal from the start, you will recognise a theme from our Likim Ibragimov spotlight: the works that last in a home are the ones that keep revealing something new. Bayat's brass does that with movement rather than colour.

Explore

See all of Tikran Bayat's works alongside bronzes by Frank Meisler and Karen Terzyan in our growing sculpture collection. Every piece ships by courier across the UAE and internationally, with secure checkout through CC Avenue. For questions about a specific work, write to retail@mysafeglobal.com.