Amado Alfadni, an Egyptian-born Sudanese artist, is the new artist in residence at La Maison d’Odile. His artistic work focuses on the relationship between the included and the excluded, opening a dialogue on questions of identity and politics. Through the use of postcards, photographs and sound archives, Amado Alfadni reveals the complex relationships between the past and the present, bringing to life stories that have often been ignored.
During his four-week stay, the artist will work in the large gallery of La Maison d’Odile, exploring the history of the village of Bernède and tracing the Spanish influence in the region. His goal is to reconstruct a believable framework that brings to life stories that are often overlooked, bringing to light stories from the past.
Amado Alfadni is a multidisciplinary artist whose childhood was marked by two different environments: the streets of Cairo and the Sudanese home. The need to express this dual perspective led him to art, fueling his work ever since. His artistic approach refers to forgotten chapters of history, sometimes difficult to digest, by relating them to the current state of affairs.
By diving into documents and archives with dedication and passion, Amado Alfadni explores the painful and sensitive passages of the past. His goal is to reconstruct a credible framework to bring to life stories that have often been overlooked. His works bring to light significant events of a territory and propose a reflection on the destiny of his Sudanese ancestors, highlighting the incomprehensible exploitation of African peoples from the earliest times to the present.
The notion of authenticity also resonates in Amado Alfadni‘s artistic approach. He explores how identity is influenced by colonial domination or other forms of abusive power. Using postcards, photographs and sound archives, the artist reveals the complex relationship between past and present created by colonial domination. He tells the story of how colonial rule has affected Black Africa, particularly the intertwined histories of the people living in the region where Sudan meets Egypt and Libya.
La Maison d’Odile, managed by The Room Projects, is a place for research, creation and encounters. Founded in 2021, it offers the contemporary art scene an atypical space conducive to the stimulation of unusual cultural links. Located in the village of Bernède, in the heart of southwestern France, this artist residency supported by the private collection TaNy & PaWo offers a unique mosaic of creative spaces for talented international artists and authors. Surrounded by fields of corn and sunflowers, La Maison d’Odile offers an inspiring setting where artists can immerse themselves in their creative process.
Since 2022, The Room Projects has been actively engaged in the development of a program of residencies, exhibitions and symposia dedicated to art and knowledge within La Maison d’Odile. This initiative aims to promote cultural exchange and encourage enriching artistic collaborations.
La Maison d’Odile has already hosted talented artists such as French artist Adrien Van Melle, who exhibited at the Centre Pompidou in Paris last year, as well as renowned Nigerian artist Kelani Abass, whose work will be exhibited this year at MoMA in New York and the Tate Museum in London. Recently, Czech-Polish artist Karo Kuchar also presented an on-site installation at Hangar Y.
Amado Alfadni’s residency at La Maison d’Odile is another opportunity for contemporary art lovers to discover the committed and multidisciplinary work of this Sudanese artist. His creations raise important questions about identity, history and politics, while revealing forgotten histories. Through the use of postcards, photographs and sound archives, Amado Alfadni invites viewers to reflect on the complex relationships between the past and the present.