A solo art exhibition is being held at Blenheim Palace later this year, marking a decade of Blenheim Art Foundation’s programme of contemporary art.
The exhibition, titled After the Storm, will see artist Mohammed Sami create a completely fresh collection exploring recurring themes and taking influence from Blenheim Palace's historic background and extensive compilation.
Born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1984, Mr Sami is known for his evocative and multi-layered paintings which intertwine belated memories and personal history.
Mr Sami's works include landscapes, interiors, and abstract scenarios, but are always devoid of the human figure.
His images aim to blur the borders between truth and pretence and evoke both a sense of presence and absence.
Mr Sami's portrayal captures a world not only moulded by a heavy past but also by a vibrant present, offering scenarios for viewers to interpret through the prism of their experiences.
He said: "Painting becomes the only medium to grasp what is not there in painting anymore".
The artist believes in painting's power to capture the unseen and the forgotten.
The exhibition is scheduled to take place from July 9 to October 20 this year.
Blenheim Palace holds great importance in the history of Britain.
A present from Queen Anne to the First Duke of Marlborough for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, it is also the birthplace of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, and its grand architecture reflects military glory.
Mr Sami’s paintings are designed to challenge and force viewers to rethink conventional artistic genres when they are set against the backdrop of Blenheim Palace and its selection of portraits and narrative paintings.
Michael Frahm, director of Blenheim Art Foundation, said: "We are thrilled to bring the exceptional work of Mohammed Sami to Blenheim Palace for his major solo exhibition.
"Sami's unique visual language, which merges the personal and historical, the fragmented and the surreal, is set to engage audiences in a profound dialogue with the Palace's storied past and its impressive art collection.
"This exhibition not only celebrates a decade of contemporary art within our walls but also reaffirms our commitment to showcasing ground-breaking artists whose work resonates with the times and places they inhabit."
Edward Spencer-Churchill, founder of Blenheim Art Foundation, said: "It is a pleasure to welcome Mohammed Sami to Blenheim.
"This powerful and thought-provoking new body of work will no doubt find additional resonance in the context of Blenheim’s history, creating a unique dialogue between past and present."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here