Souad Abdelrassoul: Confusion    

Souad Abdelrassoul lives and works in Cairo. Her artistic practice spans a range of media; drawing, painting, sculpture and graphic design, fusing abstract and figurative art. In her work she assures that we are part of the earth and the earth is definitely a part of each of us. Her depictions of metamorphosed figures do not seek to visualise physical beauty, but attempt to reflect on the connections between humans and the natural world. Tree-like figures, branching veins and arteries, and strange insect-like characters merge to remind viewers of the vital bond between the internal human body and the exterior. By doing this, Abdelrassoul re-conceptualizes the way we perceive space and notions of the body, science, and nature into something strikingly personal, which exalts the feminine, the emotional, the natural and the animalesque.

"‏As we are all formed from dust, how is it that flowers do not sprout within us?
‏Nature is part of every person, it is inside us and we are within it. We are either a person of flora, or of fauna or even of metal, in many varieties and proportions.
So, if you seem to represent something of an animal, rest assured, you do.
If the flowers capture your sight and interest, then you could have a tree within you.
If you like rocks, then there could be ancient metal inside you, perhaps a translucent crystal or rusted iron. We carry them in us, although we sanctify some, and dishonour others.
‏The human body in our world is treated as sacred. Every day we consume and therefore desecrate animals and plants, taking away their divinity to make this desecration permissible. The more we elevate, cherish and celebrate our bodies and the more our society is guilty of the degradation of creatures and plants."

Souad Abdelrassoul, May 2020 (Translated from Arabic)