Capturing the character is everything. It is always the personality that I aim to express by exploring the individual’s features and bringing them to life. That’s the reason I paint; to feel connected to family members from afar, and to bring a sense of belonging and support to within.
Soimadou Ibrahim
Until the middle of June, French artist Soimadou Ibrahim is still showcasing his exhibition In Deeds and Gestures in Hong Kong. And surprisingly, it’s only his first solo exhibition, given the vibrancy with which he captures human relationships, memories of home and the beauty of nature through his very own lense.
Having grown up in a remote village in Comoros, an archipelago located between Madagascar and Mozambique, the 1989-born Ibrahim moved back to his country of birth France at the age of ten. Leaving most of his family in Southeast Africa, his portraits of beloved and missed ones became his tool to connect to his roots, no matter how far from home – defined by straight lines, bright colours and bold gestural strokes inspired by his studies in graphic design and art:
A celebration of diverse cultures, Ibrahim’s art is not only influenced by his upbringing, but by reflections on his own French identity alike: Like his artwork of a worker enjoying a cigarette whilst taking a break, shedding light on low-income jobs occupied by people of colour, without whom France’s community structure would fall apart. Or depictions of the Musa plant, more commonly known as banana trees, whose export from Asia and its consequent mutations metaphorically mirror the diaspora and Ibrahim’s own journeys between Comoros, France and currently the U.K.
By combining radiant portraits of beloved ones with everyday moments and the stunning landscapes of the Comoros Islands, Soimadou Ibrahim not only portrays the importance of relationships and the beauty of nature. He also reminds us of the richness in finding the simple pleasures in life and to preserve them.
For more art by Soimadou Ibrahim, you can check his Instagram or his website featuring extensive footage of past exhibitions and more.
