Exhibition Artist: Dina Gamaleldin

In this series, we will spotlight the four pieces that were commissioned for the Bridges not Borders Exhibition of South Asian Art (September 2024).

Dina Gamaleldin’s We are all one is an artwork on canvas inspired by Madhubani Art and one line drawings. To help her develop her commission, Dina analysed hundreds of Madhubani art pieces produced by the Solent community at workshops in schools, libraries and community centres from September 2023 – July 2024.

Dina at work

Dina says: These pieces are inspired by cubist one line drawings and Madhubani art, blending faces with patterns, using bold outlines and a limited colour palette. The background colour is inspired by rich South Asian soil and the black outline is inspired by kohl, a traditional eye makeup worn in many Asian cultures. The golden and silver details are inspired by South Asian jewellery designs. Each piece can be viewed individually or as a set of three.

We are all one on display at the exhibition

Dina Gamaleldin is an Egyptian artist, art teacher and PHD student based in Portsmouth. Her work is always inspired by her diverse background and cultures, using canvas, textile, woodwork, typography designs and graphics. She has also written and illustrated five children’s books, alongside being a secondary art teacher. Dina’s passion is to promote the richness of Egyptian art, which shows a unique blend of Arabic, North African and Middle Eastern art due to Egypt’s location between Asia and Africa. Dina is also a member of the Egyptian Artists Union, where she participated in numerous exhibitions and won awards. Interested in Dina’s work? You can find some of her children’s books on Amazon.