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Our Artists
February 9 marks the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution or the Enqelāb-e Eslāmī. We hear from our collaborating artist, Firouz Farman-Farmaian about his practice. Highlighting in particular, his work Enghelâb ( Revolution ), in complete alignment with ongoing events in his home country.
Born in Damascus, Syria in 1991, Noor Bahjat now lives and works in the United Arab Emirates. Bahjat studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Damascus from which she graduated with honours.
Hugo Viana (Bogotá, 1973) and Alejandro Viana (Ibagué, 1976) are plastic and visual artists from Colombia. Together, they have developed a collaborative artistic production, using various media such as drawing, painting, sculpture, multimedia installations and in situ spatial interventions. In their works, Hugo & Alejandro probe the aesthetic boundaries of contemporary art through the use of anthropological symbols. ‘Our artwork is a blurred trace of images reflecting the immanence of the world. With our works we wish to capture a single instant of empathy: always intangible, ephemeral, changeable and eternal’.
Alaa is a London-based visual artist, designer and creative facilitator. Alaa has worked with various creative and educational organisations as a facilitator delivering workshops to children and adults. Throughout her various roles, her work always seeks to emphasise the value of using creativity as a pedagogical process to address and explore larger issues such as identity, faith and race and the intersections between them.
At Art Represent, we have realised over the years that when audiences actively engage with our artists and artworks, there is a tangible shift in their understanding of that artist and their community. From shifting perceptions away from stereotypes to bringing awareness of a particular region, the social impact of art is evident and powerful.
Over 30 artists from all over the world have already signed with Art Represent, but we are always looking to expand that group with more talent, and what better time to introduce you to some of our new faces than at the beginning of the new year. Their profiles and artworks will be available online in the upcoming weeks, so keep an eye out for them!
In her upcoming exhibition with Art Represent (dates TBC), Venezuelan artist Violette Bule will be exploring the complexities surrounding migration in the US with her signature dose of dark humour. Currently an immigrant in New York City, Bule draws on her personal experiences for inspiration, and her exhibition is set to address the treatment of migration in American society at large, particularly in the context of the forthcoming US presidential elections which has seen widespread focus on this sensitive area.
The exponential growth of new forms of media in the early years of the 21st Century has perhaps defined our generation like nothing else, and in the context of the contemporary art world, the likes of Instagram and Facebook are becoming increasingly valuable tools for identifying emerging talent. Given the worldwide use of the internet, it could also be argued that the art world has undergone something of a democratization process in recent times, whereby non-Western artists, traditionally marginalised by the markets and institutions of the West, are able to share and promote their works more successfully than ever before.
Q&A: Maria Kulikovska
Nominee for the Saatchi Gallery's prestigious UK/Raine competition, Maria Kulikovska is an undeniable talent. Her politically-motivated 'art actions' have established her reputation as one to watch in the contemporary art world, and her story is truly inspiring. Read the extended interview, in which Maria reveals more about her practice, her most recent projects and what inspires her creations.
I Am Sun Mu
Having been trained as a propaganda artist in North Korea, Sun Mu fled his hometown to avoid famine. He arrived in Seoul in 2001 and was unwilling to give up his trade as an artist. However, he was unsure how his training and style would be relevant in his new surroundings. It was after a while that the artist realised that the same treatment he used to glorify North Korea’s leaders on propaganda posters back home would, when shown in a different context, result in an ironic critique of the nation that suppresses its people. Read more...
Maria Kulikovska: Recreating The Artist's Body in Soap
In her work, Maria uses her body and natural materials such as salt, milk and sugar to comment on the perpetuation, transformation and decay of the human form. With a background in architecture, she also uses unconventional materials to deal with ideas of production, construction and deconstruction. Read more...
Malina Suliman: First Visit to London
Art Represent launched its inaugural exhibition in May this year titled Beyond The Veil – A Decontextualisation with Afghan street artist Malina Suliman. After months of preparations, the exhibition launched to great fanfare but visa issues kept Malina from coming to London. In August, we were finally able to bring her over and we wanted to share the experience with you. Read more…
