Traces of paradise

“Traces of paradise” is a mixed media textile piece exploring inner landscapes that represents memory through a textural study of pattern. The celestial composition, represents a world of omens and human connections, concealed and revealed contrasting it through the patch-work of screen printed and drawn fabric samples.

Malik Thomas is a British-Iraqi artist based between Amman and London. His work is a dialogue between people and spaces, venerating the male figure through his own gaze. In his creation of artworks on various supports he seeks to illuminate nuances of human experiences, explore world-building and autobiographical narratives, and address universal themes and mutual resonance with the audience. His drawing practice engages with figuration and seeks tactility within representations, drawing to ‘defigure the figural’, using abstraction and pattern to represent layers of juxtaposed familiarity and intentional obscurity. He works with silk, cotton and wool, using natural pigments and playfully uses unconventional tools. He was a finalist in the Fashion Trust Arabia prize in Doha In 2021, and has exhibited in group shows held in Amman, Riyadh, Doha, Dubai and Belgium.