Mohammed Sami's First UK Institutional Solo Exhibition at De La Warr Pavilion

The UK’s first solo institutional exhibition by Mohammed Sami, titled 'The Point 0', is currently showcased at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea until 28 August 2023, with organization by Camden Art Centre. This exhibition features artwork that reflects on the complex and traumatic memories from Sami’s life, particularly his experiences in a Swedish refugee camp after gaining asylum in 2007. Born in Baghdad in 1984, Sami was raised amidst conflict and painted propaganda murals for Saddam Hussein’s regime to secure passing grades in maths and English due to his dyslexia. His piece 'Refugee Camp' (2021) employs close-up imagery and elements like furniture to convey trauma subtly. The central work, 'The Point 0', illustrates a desert scene from a plane window upon his return to Baghdad following his father's death, alluding to the 'perpetual sunset' resulting from sand stirred up by the US-led invasion. Sami tends to avoid depicting people, instead creating emotionally charged settings that imply human presence. In a conversation with The Guardian, he referred to his use of euphemism and allegory as a 'delusive strategy' to mask traumatic themes.