Abi Ola

Abi is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice focuses on family portraiture, textiles and pattern. Originally inspired by family albums she came across in her attic, over time she has abstracted these figures, and obscured their faces to create otherworldly figures from her imagination. The focus of each painting is the patterns: they inform the viewer about the characters of the artworks and where they are from. Abi is interested in the personal and global history of her families’ clothes and has been researching African and British textiles.

Abi graduated from the Slade School of Fine Arts with a Master of Fine Arts in 2021, and from Goldsmiths University of London with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2019. Recent UK exhibitions include a solo show at Arbeit Studios, High Street Happenings Residency in 2024, a group show at the Copeland Gallery, The Universe Within, 2024, and a group show with Open Cells residency.