Abdul Abdullah is a four time Archibald finalist and this year he has paintings hanging in both the Archibald and Sulman prizes in the Art Gallery of NSW. He has won several art prizes including the Blake Prize for Human Justice in 2011 and has been finalist in many others.
Abdul’s art delivers a strong message. Issues of identity and the current political environment concerning the Muslim community in Australia are front and foremost in his work.
We talk about how he sees 9/11 impacted the Muslim community and how after that event ‘it became apparent that in the popular imagination Muslims in Australia had become the ‘bad guys”. We also talk about the 2005 Cronulla riots and how he came about painting retired police officer Craig Campbell for the Archibald. He also gives insights into his painting process and photographic art.
Abdul’s work is currently included in four shows in Victoria and NSW with another three coming up over the next few weeks, including a solo show in Melbourne in November.
Current and upcoming exhibitions:
- ‘Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes’ 2016 – Art Gallery of NSW – 16 July – 9 October 2016, Sydney, NSW
- ‘Painting, more painting’ – Australian Centre of Contemporary Art – 29 July – 25 September 2016, Melbourne, Victoria
- ‘Coming to terms’ (solo exhibition) – Fehily Contemporary/Mossgreen Sydney – 4 August – 3 September 2016, Sydney NSW
- ‘The Public Body’ – Artspace – 25 August – 23 October 2016, Sydney NSW
- ‘Burden’ – (solo exhibition) – Fehily Contemporary – 9 November – 3 December 2016, Melbourne, Victoria
- ‘Jogja Calling’ – 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art – 22 October to 17 December 2016, Sydney, NSW
- ‘Basil Sellers Art prize 5’ – Ian Potter Museum of Art– 19 July – 6 November 2016, Melbourne, Victoria
Show notes (links to things and people we talk about in the show):
- Abdul Abdullah
- Fehily Contemporary
- Abdul-Rahman Abdullah (Abdul’s brother)
- Archibald prize
- Sulman prize
- Indonesian artist Hahan
- Tracey Moffatt
- ‘Hero cop Craig Campbell left behind by the Cronulla riots’ SMH, January 17 2016
- SBS documentary: Cronulla Riots – The day that shocked the nation
- ‘Combatting Prejudice with Art’ – Abdul Abdullah – TEDx Youth Sydney
- Blake Prize for Human Justice
- Ian Strange
‘The Cost’ oil and resin on board 180cm x 180cm
‘Everything is fine’ oil and resin on linen 100cm x 100cm
