For My Bibi Screen Prints

These screen-printed drawings are contemporary tapestries, with the intricately painted artwork exploring elements of abstraction and figuration. The painterly drawing is an homage to the reliefs and bronzes of Nineveh in northern Iraq, and the ink sketches of Jawad Selim made in preparation for his iconic monument Nasb al-Hurriyah in Baghdad, Lastly, anecdotes of the artist’s grandmother’s life in Baghdad in the 50’s, that centered around women's society and experience of the city, provided inspiration for the pieces. Within the drawings, figures emerge from the swirling marks of pattern and foliage: a collage of statues, the portraits of a woman, or a young man and a decorated horse.

This textile artwork can be hung on the wall or draped across the surface or body as a scarf. 

The print was hand-crafted, and hand-produced in Amman Jordan.

Images courtesy of 421 and Malik Kydd.

Malik Thomas is a British Iraqi artist, whose practice is rooted in understanding and recording experiences through drawing and fabric. He opened the Malik Thomas Studio and clothing label which debuted in the Fashion Trust Arabia Grant, in Doha in 2021. He continues to explore drawing, painting, hand-screen- printed garments, naturally dyed fabrics, and hand-produced finishings.