Salah M Mubarek
Salah M. Mubarek
Artist
About The Artist
I grew up in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, surrounded by beautiful, colorful geometrical patterns in clothing, hats, and baskets. I especially loved the baskets — baskets of all forms and shapes with intricate patterns and deeper meanings. As a result, I have a high regard for the complex use of color in modern art and a deep attraction to geometric color field paintings.
My most recent body of work is best described as pixelated geometric color field paintings. In this series, I reimagine the ancient art of my culture in a new and different way. I use geometric designs and planes on a large canvas to tell a story, as well as blends of color to evoke an emotion. The tension created between the form and color renders the canvas as a three-dimensional field of pixelated color.
Although I have worked with various media, I concentrated on figurative and landscape abstractions in watercolor for a significant portion of my career. I experimented with applying watercolor in many ways to create layers and texture to achieve the look of oil on canvas or pastel on paper.
My goal in my work is to create paintings that engage the viewer intellectually and visually.
Education
School of the Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois
Awards and Scholarships
2009
Scholarship Award, Northeastern University, Chicago, Illinois
1991/1996
Scholarship Awards, School of the Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois
Selected Exhibits
2012
- Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
- The Harlem Fine Art Show, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
2009
- Northeastern University Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
- The National Black Fine Art Show, New York, New York
- Nicole Gallery, Chicago, IL
2008
- Northeastern University Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
- The National Black Fine Art Show, New York, New York
- Nicole Gallery, Chicago, IL
2005
- Harari Azebach, Ethiopian Harari Association Northern California, San Francisco, California
1998
- James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Chicago, Illinois
- Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago, 4750 N. Sheridian, Chicago, Illinois
1997
- The Visible Soul, Revealing the Spiritual (Juried Exhibition), The School of the Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois
- AT&T, 5550 Touhy Avenue, Skokie, Illinois
- Exodus World Services, P.O. Box 620, Itasca, Illinois
1996
- Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago, 4750 North Sheridian Road, Chicago, Illinois
- James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Chicago, Illinois
- DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago, Illinois
1991
- Beacon Street Gallery, 1145 West Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
- DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place, Chicago, Illinois
Contact
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