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Shooq AlShawi

Discipline:

Painter

Location:

London

ABOUT:

My practice is an unraveling of the infinite breath through the dissection of legacy, and a continual questioning of what that means and why it matters. At its core is gestural abstraction of faith and remembrance.

The paint breathes, and colour becomes vibration made visible, translating unseen harmony into something felt. Linear mark making dissolve, brushstrokes move between control and release, applied by hand, brush, and stick. Layers of oil paint in all its depth and textures build an infinite sense of oneness, still yet moving, pulsing throughout. The canvas holds traces of the subject, a record of breath dissolving into nothingness. Expansive, unbound, unstretched, the canvas is a window into the expansive vastness, breathing beyond its edges.


Flowers bridge theory and practice, living forms that embody both presence and impermanence. They arrive by chance or experience, and through them I can take a leap of faith, surrendering to both chaos and calm, existence and nonexistence, and what that means. Their breath moves through the work. into a third dimension.


A convergence of Gestural, Islamic Art and Baroque influences, my practice explores the vastness of existence that can be found within the third dimension, deeply energetic works evoke that which prayer calls for. Breath, peace, a conversation with what is felt within the viewer. I hope that it creates a space for us to continues to bloom beyond form. An invitation to exist within the infinite.

WORKS:

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'Working Class Creatives' responds to a need which is too often overlooked in the arts; that of the barriers facing working-class artists from getting on in our sector. They are instrumental in initiating much-needed change that will see the art world become more inclusive and reflect the society it purports to serve. I often search their database in my research, it is a vital resource for any arts professional working in culture today. That they have got this far on so little financial resource is remarkable and I am excited to see what they will achieve with further support.” Beth Hughes, Curator, Arts Council Collection.

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