Shadi Al Atallah

Shadi Al-Atallah is a London based multi-disciplinary artist, best known for their figurative large-scale paintings: the dark and dynamic figures depicted in their mixed-media work are distorted self-portraits of the artist. Al-Atallah derives much of their inspiration from their childhood in Saudi Arabia, also the place of their birth, and the intersections of their mixed-race queer identity into adulthood.


Pronouns: They/Them
Practice: Multi- Disciplinary Artist
Location: London

How do you determine success?

My definition of success is feeling like I’ve made a difference by being visible. I feel like if I’m able to exist in this very white, very straight, very european artworld then I feel like I can inspire other people to feel like they belong in this world which is really inaccessible. If I can make that one change in my own community I feel like I have been successful. I know that financial success is also really important of course - because you want to be able to survive doing something you love. That’s not exactly my main goal but I really do wish that I could make a living doing this one thing that contributes to both my mental health and my mental well being.