Amel Bashier: ورد الجوري ‘Ward el Juri

24 Apr-29 Jun 2024

Overview

Addis Fine Art is pleased to present Amel Bashier’s solo exhibition ورد الجوري ‘Ward el Juri,’ named for her daughter and translating to ‘damask rose.’ The exhibition features new paintings and recent works on paper.

Amel’s works are reflections on the nature and possibilities of freedom. She paints towards the liberation of women, symbolically connecting this emancipation with the growth and persistence of the natural world. The women in her paintings, semi-mythical images of bravery and power, stare boldly back at their viewer. The flowers, leaves, and twisting stems represent the vital force within us, and the promise of flourishing blossoms when adequately nourished and nurtured. Sometimes these natural elements come from memories or stories, which interweave her personal relationships into the narratives of the works.

Her art is as socially engaged as it is poetic. She explores themes of peace and freedom in the context of ongoing war in her home country of Sudan. The nation-wide war in Sudan has now been waging for over a year, displacing millions and pushing the country to the brink of famine. Hymns of Peace visualises this conflict, and seeks a better outcome. The artworks in this collection become like seeds, planting alternative visions for a positive future.

Amel’s artistic practice brings together pointillism, intricate ink drawings, and painting. Meticulous and methodical, Bashier applies thousands of small dots from the nib of her pen to create an imperceptibly solid composition. This meditative practice also offers her personal catharsis from the traumas endured by her homeland.

Amel Bashier (b. 1981) was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and spent her childhood between Jeddah and Port Sudan in Sudan, on the Red Sea. While she is now based in Paris, her intricate pointillist paintings draw inspiration from the strength and wisdom of her female ancestors, particularly those who fought and struggled for their rights. Bashier’s work has been included in solo and group exhibitions in London, Paris, Cairo, Dubai, Nairobi, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Khartoum.