Nour El Saleh on Wrinkles, Rats, and Imagined Ecosystems

London-based artist Nour El Saleh discusses her imaginative practice, where figures emerge as vessels in fictionalized ecosystems without specific identity or time. She draws on drama studies, treating skin as costume and exploring wrinkles, ripples, and exaggerated features. Her color palette shifts with surroundings—e.g., yellow light in southern Italy vs. grey in London. Rats, initially kept separate in private writing, now appear as humanoid figures, challenging physiognomic stereotypes: small creatures are calculating, large ones passive. She incorporates sculptural elements, thinking of painting three-dimensionally. Upcoming group shows include "Half Truths – Half 1" (opens 22 September) and "Half 2" (opens 11 October), co-produced by Vanessa Murrel, Hector Rosenfalck, and Henry Dennler for DATEAGLE, plus two more in December, all exploring fictionalization.