Shadi Al-Atallah creates large scale figurative paintings: the dark and dynamic figures depicted in their mixed media work are distorted self-portraits of the artist that capture the absurdity of conflicting emotional states. Working in rapid motions and strokes, Al-Atallah works fast to avoid their thoughts slipping, contending with their own cognition and memory. Each painting documents a single hazy moment in time, examining the space between the mundane and the spiritual.
Al-Atallah makes use of paint to escape from the constraints of language. Painting allows them to invent genderless figures, ones that embody an ambiguity that language rarely grants. Obscurity also allows breathing room for the viewer to connect with the artwork.
In 2018, Al-Atallah was invited to speak on a panel of artists of Insights: beyond Gender — a talk organised by Tate Modern which explored gender and representation for the artists today. Al-Atallah’s work is included in the Dean Collection, USA; The Underdog Collection, Italy and the A4 Arts Foundation, South Africa.
acrylic, charcoal, pencil and pastel on canvas
73 x 75 cm |
28 3/4 x 29 1/2 in.