Elongated Scriptures

72 x 60”
2025
Enamel and crystalline on canvas

Created just recently in 2025, this piece marks a refined and unexpected turn in RETNA’s practice. Set against a radiant pink background, his distinctive script unfolds in pastel purple crystalline forms that seem to hover above the surface. The softness of the palette—dreamlike and atmospheric—contrasts with the architectural precision of the lettering, creating a visual experience that feels both otherworldly and grounded.

RETNA’s alphabet, drawn from a global fusion of calligraphic traditions—Arabic, Hebrew, Gothic, and East Asian scripts—remains central, but here it is filtered through a more meditative, almost celestial lens. The pastel purple glyphs shimmer with subtle depth, resembling light reflected through quartz or carved into glass. Though they resist direct translation, the shapes resonate with the weight of meaning, ritual, and presence.

What makes this piece particularly powerful is its restraint. Rather than relying on bold contrasts or aggressive tones, RETNA opts for a palette that draws the viewer in, inviting closer observation. The painting doesn’t shout—it hums. The energy is internal, contemplative, and yet unmistakably assertive in its structure and scale.

“Elongated Scriptures” demonstrates RETNA’s range as a visual storyteller. He continues to build a language rooted in the sacred and the street, but here, he softens the delivery without diluting the message. This work offers a glimpse into a more introspective side of the artist—one that’s still rich with intention, complexity, and coded beauty.