Shadi Al-Atallah
Shadi Al-Atallah is a London based multi-disciplinary artist, best known for their figurative large-scale paintings: the dark and dynamic figures depicted in their mixed-media work are distorted self-portraits of the artist.
Shadi Al-Atallah is a London based multi-disciplinary artist, best known for their figurative large-scale paintings: the dark and dynamic figures depicted in their mixed-media work are distorted self-portraits of the artist. Al-Atallah derives much of their inspiration from their childhood in Saudi Arabia, also the place of their birth, and the intersections of their mixed-race queer identity into adulthood.
Their ‘Catharsis’ series explores ‘healing’ as a concept, and examines the relationships between mental health, the body and spiritual practices; the imagery recalls spirit conjuring dances practiced among Arabs of African descent in the Arabian Gulf Region as well as modern interpretations of expulsive dancing such as voguing. Al-Atallah most recently exhibited the series in the BBZ BLK BK: Alternative Graduate Show which showcased the work of 10 queer artists of colour.
Their more recent series 'Roadblocks' was exhibited in their debut solo show at Cob Gallery, London in November 2018.
Al-Atallah also practices as an illustrator, working on a smaller scale both digitally and on paper. Recently after their graduation, they have most notably been commissioned by music artist Kanye West and has worked with the artist to illustrate the artwork of two single covers as well as artwork for a YEEZY t-shirt collection. As of Autumn, 2018, Al-Atallah has begun their studies for an MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art.
B. in Saudi Arabia, 1994. Based in London, UK.
Education
2018 - 2021 MA Painting, Royal College of Art, London (UK)
2013 -2018 BA Illustration, University of the Arts, London (UK)
Solo Exhibitions
2021 Upcoming, Guts Gallery
2019 Fuck I’m Stuck, J Hammond Projects, London (UK)
2018 Roadblocks, Cob Gallery, London (UK)
Group Exhibitions
2020 Begin Again, Guts Gallery, London (UK)
2020 Paintings on, and, with paper, Cob Gallery, London (UK)
2020 When Shit Hits the Fan, Guts Gallery, London (UK)
2020 NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT, Public Gallery, London (UK)
2020 Alter Ego, Unit London, London, (UK)
2020 Without a Painter, The Fitzrovia Gallery, London, (UK)
2019 The Head The Hand, Blank Projects, Cape Town, (South Africa)
2019 Sharks, Swim Gallery, San Francisco, (US)
2019 Absinthe, Collectivending, Spit and Sawdsut, London, (UK)
2018 AFROPUNK x 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning Present: People Art Resistance, London (UK)
2018 LDN WMN, Tate Collective, public commission, London, (UK)
2018 BBZ BLK BK, Copeland Gallery, London (UK)
Talks/Events/Projects
2020 Eating at the Same Table x Fuck I’m Stuck, London (UK)
2019 The Art of Creativity, Tate Britain, London (UK)
2019 CommuneEAST x The Curtain Hotel, London (UK)
2019 “Intersect”, Cambridge Univeristy Queens’ Art Festival, Cambridge, (UK)
2019 “Gender Fuckery in Contemporary British Art” at b.Dewitt Gallery
2019, London, (UK) 2019 CommuneEAST x Selfridges, London, (UK)
2018 Insights: Beyond Gender, Tate Modern, (UK)
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Top Ten Shows from the UK and Ireland
Mimi Chu, Frieze, 12 Feb 2021 -
Begin Again is the virtual art exhibition tackling racial inequality
Gunseli Yalcinkaya, Dazed , 14 Aug 2020 -
Scrap that, lets begin again
TJ Sidhu, The Face, 13 Aug 2020 -
Begin Again: The online exhibition challenging austerity and racial oppression
Scarlett Baker , Love Magazine, 13 Aug 2020 -
Painter Shadi Al-Atallah examines gender, sexuality, racial identity and mental health in their eloquent works
RUBY BODDINGTON, iT'S NICE THAT, 23 Jun 2020 -
Ten's to see 'When Shit Hits the Fan', The insta-exhibition by Guts Gallery
Paul Toner, 10 Magazine, 2 Apr 2020 -
The London art you can take a virtual tour of right now for free
Lucy Scovell, The Glossary, 29 Mar 2020 -
When Shit Hits the Fan (In the Artworld)
TJ Sidhu, The Face, 27 Mar 2020 -
Art markets find high-tech ways to reach buyers
Melanie Gerlis, Financial Times, 27 Mar 2020 -
This Instagram-only exhibition is full of London’s best young artists
Eddy Frankel, Time Out London, 24 Mar 2020 -
Guts Gallery present ‘When shit hits the fan’ a digital Instagram exhibition
Mark Westall, Fad Magazine, 23 Mar 2020 -
Meet the Artist Who Painted the Kardashians for Kanye West’s “XTCY”
RACHEL TASHJIAN, GARAGE, 30 Aug 2018
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WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN AGAIN
FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS, 1 NIGHT ONLY. 4 Feb - 4 Mar 2021Through the invitation extended to established artists into the exhibition. We are hoping to reinstate a balance of power. Allowing established artists to shoulder emerging artists. 50% of sales of works sold by an established artist, will be distributed entirely to all the emerging artists involved. This redistribution of wealth offers a new outlook and model that is fundamentally for artists, by artists, creating an alternative system of support.Read more -
BEGIN AGAIN
As society shifts, the art world shifts. We are on the cusp of change. 13 - 27 Aug 2020This is a time to stop, reflect, create dialogue, and put our words into positive action. To begin again we must shoulder each other, listen to each other, work together and collectively change together. As the newest generation of art collectors, we urge you to collect from this exhibition. The revenue made will support The Free Black University and the newest generation of artists.Read more
Begin
to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start
Again
once more; another time; anew; in addition
With many thanks to Lotte Andersen for her continuous support throughout this exhibition, and to Pallas Citroen, Director of The Bomb Factory Art Foundation. Who is kindly providing a free gallery space as part of The Guts Prize.
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WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN
Gallery openings have been affected by the spread of coronavirus 26 Mar - 16 Apr 2020Many art-related events, including Guts Gallery's, have either been cancelled or postponed, causing a large economic impact on artists and smaller galleries. We want to challenge this, putting our ethos of supporting underrepresented contemporary voices into action by navigating this set back through a digital Instagram exhibition.Read more
