Soad Abdelrasoul

Woman and flower, 2018

Unique Artwork

Acrylic on canvas

Acrylic on canvas
43 x 33 cm

CM H 43 W 33

IN H 16.93 W 12.99

Certificate of authenticity - Signed by artist

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About the work

Woman and flower, 2018

“As we are formed from dust, how is it that flowers do not sprout in us?”

Artist Soad Abdel Rasoul raises this question in the introduction to her exhibition. This question might give us a glimpse of light to unravel the mysteries of her legendary world, and to make us wonder whether art follows the logic of things as we know them in the world in which we live, or whether it creates its own world and inner logic. Is it part of our pains, dreams, aspirations, or frustrations, or does it create its own private and intimate feelings?

The characters do not suggest any type of movement, despite having different positions. It is as if time has passed them by, leaving them frozen in their place. Sometimes with plants growing around them, restricting and restraining them, so that they become ever more isolated and secluded.
At other times, the plants grow from their hearts, removed from their chests, or from their wide open mouths, as if the plants are speaking and pulsating on behalf of those frozen, helpless creatures.

As she stresses the isolation of this legendary world from its surroundings, the artist employs the frame as part of the language of form and a visual tool. The frame becomes like a fence that is difficult to overcome, or a barrier that is impossible to penetrate.

About artist

Soad Abdelrasoul

Soad Abdelrasoul was born in 1974, Cairo. She lives and works in Cairo. She graduated in 1998 from Faculty of Fine Arts, completed her masters in History of Art in 2005, and finished her PhD in Modern Art History in 2012.

Soad Abdel Rasoul’s world looks like a magical world in one of those legends where the witch casts a spell to put everyone in deep sleep until a knight, the saviour, comes along to restore them to life and brings brightness and splendour to the universe.

Her works have been on display since 1998. In addition to designing book covers and books for children, Soad conducts art workshops for children inside and outside Egypt.

She has taken part in many group and solo exhibitions in Egypt and abroad, such as: Red Hill Gallery, Kenya (2016), Circle Art gallery and Gravetty art gallery, Kenya (2018), Mashrabia Gallery of contemporary art, Cairo, Egypt (2017,2012), Caravan Gallery, USA (2014); Gazambo Gallery, Madrid, Spain (2013).

About Gallery

Mashrabia Gallery

Since 1990, Mashrabia Gallery has played a pioneering role in the diffusion of contemporary art in Egypt.

Removed from dominant practices or commercial trends, it has developed its own rigorous criteria for selecting artists, preferring originality and the use of innovative languages that are free of decorative and academic components.

Mashrabia actively supports wide access to art and has been collaboration with local institutes on initiatives suchas Noubar (Nomad Urban Breaking Art, 2005–2006), El Azhar Park Meets Contemporary Arts (2005, 2006), Invisible Presence (Looking at the Body in Contemporary Egyptian Art, 2009–2010) and the From Rags to Riches project.

It represents Egyptian artists such as Adel El Siwi, Ahmed Askalany, Hani Rashed and Xavier Puigmarti.

Mashrabia Gallery Of Contemporary Art
Daily except Friday from 11am to 8pm
15, Mahmoud Bassiony street
Qasr El-Nil, Cairo, Egypt

Mashrabia Gallery Of Contemporary Art
Daily except Friday from 11am to 8pm
10, Mahmoud Bassiony street
Qasr El-Nil, Cairo, Egypt

Curated by Mashrabia Gallery