Almigdad Aldikhaiiry

ALMIGDAD ALDIKHAIIRY

eARTh matters

Oil on canvas
48 x 72 inches

People are finally paying attention to climate change. Global environmental standards may not always be translated effectively and a shared language is required to understand the social and environmental impact of climate change. In this picture, Aldikhaiiry captures the feeling of being overwhelmed and the importance of not getting lost in translation.

Oil on canvas / 47.25 x 47.25 inches

Aldikhaiiry questions what role volcanoes play in affecting climate. He playfully suggests that charmers exist within all volcanoes and are the culprits behind gases and dust particles being thrown into the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions, influencing the climate and causing global warming.

Oil on canvas
78 x 78 inches

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ABOUT

Poignant and direct, Aldikhaiiry's work offers a distinct perspective on social, political and environmental issues, including human rights and the effects of social media. His comprehension of historical context, coupled with a command of graphic design, color and composition, lends itself to the creation of compelling narratives about the great challenges humanity faces.

Born in Omdurman in 1984, Aldikhaiiry is a graduate of the College of Fine and Applied Arts in Khartoum. He began his professional career in 2000 as a political cartoonist while living under the dictatorship of President al-Bashir. Over the course of fifteen years, Aldikhaiiry expressed the people’s sentiments against the oppressive regime and his work became widely published in major newspapers throughout the Middle East. In 2016, Aldikhaiiry came to Los Angeles while political unrest was surging and security concerns were on the rise in Sudan. Fearing persecution due to his political opinions, Aldikhaiiry applied for, and was granted, refugee status in America.

Now living and working in Los Angeles, Aldikhaiiry continues to be engaged through political visual works that render visible the truths about our changing environment. His most recent series and the focus of White Color’s exhibition eARTh matters explores climate change and engages with our current production systems that contribute to it. The paintings represent visually stunning interpretations of subjects including the ozone layer, tsunamis, deforestation and melting glaciers, while also speaking to the benefits of alternative energy and to the beauty of our natural world.

Whether the long-term, significant changes in our environment happen naturally or in response to human activities, the evidence for rapid climate change is compelling and art can make a difference in the way we, as a global community, respond to it.

White Color Studio presents: eARTh matters

An exhibition of works about Climate Change

by Almigdad Aldikhaiiry

White Color Studio / Cornelia Arts Building

November 22 - January 5, 2020

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OTHER WORKS

Oil on canvas / 78.75 x 71.5 inches

Aldikhaiiry captures the effects of social media on our mental health.

Oil on canvas / 78.75 x 71.5 inches

Aldikhaiiry honors the memory of Ota Benga, a pygmy who in 1906 was housed with primates and put on display as an example of an evolutionarily inferior race at the New York city Bronx zoo. On March 20, 1916, Ota Benga took a gun and fired a bullet into his own heart, ending the short and tragic life of the “missing link” from Africa.

Oil on canvas / 78.75 x 71.5 inches

This powerful symbolic and historical piece celebrates the 2018 decree issued by Saudi Arabia allowing women to drive. The painting depicts a newly liberated woman driving a pink Volkswagen, literally the car of the people, amidst an assortment of symbols and references to the country’s history and culture. In her right hand is the license plate indicating both the Western and Islamic calendar day the ban was lifted.

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Oil on canvas

Aldikhaiiry's first experience at the Centre Pompidou was transformative and magical. The art collection and diverse programming unleashed his mind. He captures that feeling by portraying the museum as a magician whose hat is overflowing with ideas.

Oil on canvas

Prior to visiting the Centre Pomipdou, Aldikhaiiry was exposed to traditional forms of art. The modern art he saw at the museum changed his entire perspective. This painting represents his state of mind at that time and marks the beginning of what would become an entirely new style.

Oil on canvas / 47.25 x 47.25 inches

Homage to former French president Georges Pompidou, who the Centre is named after.

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