Sarah Maple’s paintings, photography and video works

Matt | October 24, 2008 | 0 Comments

A show of Sarah Maple’s paintings, photography and video works

Curated by Samir Ceric, SaLon Gallery

After a successful press and VIP opening on October 16, SaLon Gallery opens Sarah Maple’s first solo show “This Artist Blows” to the public until November 23, 2008.

Coinciding with the Frieze Art Fair debut was one of London’s most remarkable opening nights showcasing a most tantalising collection of art works by a young and highly promising female artist. 23 year-old Sarah Maple is best known for her rebellious self-portraits and photographs that take on issues of culture, self-identity and politics using a bold and unpretentious sense of humour.

One of the highlights of “This Artist Blows” is the projection of the video piece “Who Would Wood Wank?” co-produced with Dazed & Confused’s Jefferson Hack. The dress and burkha used in the video are on view at the exhibition. Also on show at SaLon Gallery is a collection of Maple’s new paintings and photographic works, inexorably challenging traditional notions of religion, identity and the societal role of women. Among these is a sizeable oil-on-canvas which has provoked social commentary before and since the opening of the show, ‘Haram’, a large-scale and visually arresting self-portrait depicting Sarah wearing a ‘Hijab’ as she cradles a piglet while gazing forcefully at the viewer.

Sarah Maple has already been widely hailed by the public and the press as highly promising among the new wave of emerging British contemporary artists. Indeed, the opening on 16/10 drew great interest from national publications such as The Telegraph, Art Review, also included interviews for the Mail on Sunday and The London Paper (yet to be published) and was attended by some of the A-listers from the Art and Fashion world. Editorials on the show also feature in this October’s issue of Grove and Matchbox magazines.

In October 2007 Sarah won the ‘4 New Sensations’ Award co-organised by Channel 4 and the Saatchi Gallery. Maple’s work has also featured on the cover and inside of the US art/fashion magazine Swindle and Nylon magazine. Her work has been displayed on the London Tube as advertising art space and has been exhibited at the White Box gallery (New York) and the Scream Gallery ( London).

“This Artist Blows” runs until 23/11 and is open to the public and the press, media and art professionals. For private viewings and price-lists please contact the gallery director Samir Ceric (see details below).
Notes to Editors

Sarah Maple was born in 1985 and grew up in Sussex where she lives now. She holds a BA in Fine Art from Kingston University. As a Muslim girl born and raised in Brighton she draws her inspiration from her mixed religious and cultural backgrounds. Sarah’s work is the subject of some controversy within the Muslim Community; her work deals with issues which are affecting all of us in our everyday lives, not just in the art world. Sarah herself says “I would like there to be a bigger place for western Muslims in the arts. It’s difficult though, we live in scary times.” She confronts issues of faith and integration “I don’t pray five times a day but I try to live a good, spiritual life and be kind to people… It may seem like a fairytale but I believe in a spiritual Islam where I have 100% faith in Allah which is more important then sticking to all of the rules which you simply cannot do in the west and successfully integrate”. For Sarah these are personal battles which she is confronting but they are so relevant in today’s modern society. Antony Gormley comments that [Sarah Maple] “is using the female notion of appropriateness to explain political and personal realism”.

Since its inception, SaLon Gallery has been wholly dedicated to promoting the work of talented graduates emerging from the UK’s top art schools. Bi-monthly, SaLon Gallery showcases new works produced by a select group of intentionally bold and provocative young artists. Samir Ceric is the curator and director of Salon Gallery which is located in the heart of London’s famously stylish and bohemian Notting Hill district.

For images of Sarah’s art-works please visit: www.salongallery.co.uk

Tags: art, SaLon Gallery, Sarah Maple