The work of Sudanese artist Amel Bashier (b. 1981) is inspired by the wisdom and strength of her female ancestors, particularly those who struggled and fought for their rights. She uses their stories both as a source of vitality for her creative process, and as a point of comparison to the continued battle of the modern-day Sudanese women's rights movement.
In her intricate pen and ink drawings and pointillist paintings, majestic female figures redolent of ancient Nubian civilisation gaze impassively at the viewer, surrounded by plants, birds, books and trees. Meticulous and methodical, Bashier applies thousands of small dots from the nib of her pen to create an imperceptibly solid composition. Her artistic practice also offers her personal catharsis from the traumas endured by her homeland. A message of peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness for the crimes committed during Sudan's bloody civil wars is conveyed throughout her work.
Amel Bashier spent her childhood between Saudi Arabia and Sudan, and now lives in France. She has exhibited in Paris, Cairo, Dubai, Nairobi, Sharjah, and Khartoum. This will be her first exhibition in the UK.