Souad Abdelrassoul’s artistic practice spans various media; drawing, painting, sculpture and graphic design.

Working between the abstract and figurative, she seeks to connect humans and animals to the Earth believing we are interwoven . Her metamorphosed figures do not seek to depict physical beauty but attempt to reflect on the connections between the human race and the natural elements of life; earth, animals and plants. Tree-like figures with branching veins and arteries merge on her canvases to remind the viewer of the vital bond between our internal lives and the exterior world we live in. Abdlrassoul re-conceptualizes the way we perceive space and re-purposes notions of form, science and nature into something strikingly personal. She exalts in the feminine, the emotional and the natural world. Throughout her work, she tells stories, sometimes using myths and legends, to draw attention to how women are forced to evolve and grow in an environment that is oppressive and that restricts the life choices. She questions the role of women in society and cultural history in an unusual and disruptive way.

Souad lives and works in Cairo. She graduated with a BFA in 1998, completed her master’s degree in History of Art in 2005, and in 2012 she completed her PhD in Modern Art History. Since 1998 she has exhibited frequently in group and solo exhibitions in Cairo as well as shows in Nairobi, Beirut and the USA. She has exhibited at international art fairs in London and Marrakech. She is also an illustrator children’s books, and conducts artistic workshops for children in Cairo. Abdelrassoul has exhibited consistently at Circle since 2015, most recently in March at the 2021 edition of the Art Dubai contemporary art fair. We are delighted to be presenting her first solo show in Nairobi.