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Artworks
Shadi Al Atallah Arabia Saudita, b. 1994
Jack and Rose I, 2018Mixed media on unstretched canvas155 x 270 cm
61 1/8 x 106 1/4 in© 2018 Shadi Al Atallah / Courtesy Fundación AMMAPhoto: Sergio OrtizFurther images
A large-bodied, naked woman on all fours fills almost the entire canvas (a large-format, landscape-oriented work). Although she is baring her teeth, the expression is not quite a smile—or if it is, it conveys a certain sense of unease. In the background, a piece of furniture is visible that evokes a domestic setting, perhaps due to its resemblance to a kitchen.
Shadi Al Atallah is renowned for large-format paintings featuring dark, dynamic figures, typically engaged in strange scenes. Their work examines the relationship between mental health, the body, and spiritual practices. In their self-portraits—which they view as cathartic—they reference both their childhood in Saudi Arabia and their mixed-race, intersectional identity.
