AphroChic Magazine Features Faatimah Mohamed-Luke & Al Luke

As Seen In: AphroChic Magazine

2020 has been a strange year to say the least, but one of the highlights has been this feature of Jenn Singer Gallery South African artist Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and her husband and fellow artist, Al Luke in AphroChic Magazine, which dropped in December.

Aphrochic Magazine is a “curated lifestyle publication of the African Diaspora showcasing creatives of color across a range of industries and fields” and if you haven’t subscribed yet, we highly recommend it!

When editors Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason reached out with a request to feature Faatimah and Al, we were thrilled! We’re so pleased to be able to share the feature below (or click here to view in AphroChic’s digital publication):

APHROCHIC - A CURATED LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

ISSUE NO. 1 / VOLUME 2 / WINTER 2020/2021

PINPOINT - ARTISANS & ARTISTS - WORDS BY JEANINE HAYS

Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and Al Luke - Their work is distinct. She presents geometric shapes, he paints in flowing lines, but there is a connection in their pieces — abstraction, mathematics, identity. For South African artist Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and her husband Al Luke, aka ALFA, one of the things most interesting about their artwork is the mediums they each have chosen to work with and how they have found unique ways to express themselves.

Faatimah’s work is an exploration of both her African and Arab heritage. Central to her creations is the millennia-old technique of tessellation, a symmetric edge-to-edge tiling technique that results in complex, intricate patterns. With roots as old as ancient Sumer, the art reached its heights in Islamic Spain and Morocco. Both employed the technique extensively in con- structing the sophisticated geometric tile work of places like the Alhambra Palace, the Great Mosque of Cordoba — now a Catholic church — and more recently, the famous Hasan II mosque in Casablanca. In the 21st century, Faatimah is using this technique to create thoroughly modern works of art, using building blocks that are customized in specific colorways for each piece.

It was during a trip to Morocco that Faatimah fell in love with the pattern-work that can be spotted all throughout the country. ‘It was the first time I had witnessed parts of my heritage living together so gracefully,’ she remarks. This led her to a new medium to work with to create her unique landscapes, portraits and abstract works. ‘The porcelain tile used to create mosaics didn’t really resonate with me, so I looked to a more unusual basic shape. What I love most about it is that it is a nontraditional art medium and comes with no expectations, but has it own unique set of challenges.’

Thousands of plastic blocks are used to create works like her Reflections of a Queen II series, Flora-The Blue Period and a collaborative piece with her husband, My Head Your Hands, all represented by UK art gallery, the Jenn Singer Gallery. ‘I believe that challeng- ing an already established environment and challenging society is an essential part of an artist’s work and this medium helps me to do that by starting the conversation: 'But is it art?'‘

Al’s medium is different. His use of spray paint and acrylic liners gives his paintings an urban street style feel that is immediately modern and contemporary. The vivid colorful lines take you on a journey of exploration. For Al, it is an exploration of identity. He describes his art as exposing a new African style that can challenge stereotypes of what art from the continent should look like. ‘I enjoying blurring the lines of what an art medium is,’ states Al. ‘Spray paint is considered a street artist tool. It’s urban and edgy, but when placed in the gallery environment, it takes on new meaning.

‘When it comes to creating the line work in the pieces I create, the lines are completely expressive and intuitive, working directly with the medium of choice to avoid any hesitation or self-doubt. It is an exercise in trust and extremely cathartic. I enjoy the limitless nature of the work and end results are constantly evolving.’

In both Faatimah and Al’s you can see the modern art aesthetic that is present on the African continent. Works that speak to identity, place and society at large. Pieces that challenge the viewer.

And with this duo doing it in tandem, at times in collaborative works, they are showing pieces that excite and push us all to dig deeper.

Explore works by Faatimah Mohamed-Luke and AI Luke at jennsingergallery.com