Soimadou Ali Ibrahim (French, b. 1989) explores and re-examines family memories by representing intimate moments of life in Itsinkoudi, a remote village in the Comoros archipelago, where Ibrahim's parents, grandmother and most of his family still live.
Growing up in Comoros until 10 years old influenced his perspective on socio-economics, the strength of community and the complexities of race, and has triggered Ibrahim to question his own Frenchness in relation to the island's colonial past.
These artworks are adapted from archival photographs, pictures taken by the artist himself, memories, and imagination. They each portray the importance of family, of life itself and hope, illustrated by bold gestural strokes and bright colours inspired by his studies in graphic design and art. In essence, Ibrahim uses the practice of painting as a way to reconnect and engage with his roots.
Ibrahim currently resides in London but from the age of 10 and throughout his adolescent life he lived in a small town in Brittany, France. It is not only his personal experiences but also those of the African diaspora that provide a narrative for Ibrahim to share and explore how it is to be black and navigate the environment you are in.
Ibrahim has recently been featured in the group exhibition, ‘Isolation Mastered’, at JD Malat Gallery in London. His artwork was selected by a professional committee which included; Dylan Jones, Gavin Rossdale, Gavin Turk, Robert Montgomery, Sotheby’s Institute’s Professor David Bellingham, Art Dealer Simon de Pury and artist Katrin Fridriks.
