Shooq AlShawi

Shooq AlShawi (b. 1988, Bahrain) is a London-based painter. She holds a BA (Hons) from the University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion (2010), and a Foundation in Art and Design from Newcastle College (2006). Having lived and worked between Paris, London, and Dubai, she is currently based in her studio on King’s Road, London.

Rooted in gestural abstraction, Shooq’s practice unfolds as a meditation on faith, remembrance, and the breath as a vessel of legacy. Her process- painting with oil and oil stick on unstretched canvas- blends discipline and spontaneity, creating surfaces that pulse with both presence and dissolution. Influenced by Islamic art, Baroque painting, and spiritual philosophy, her compositions evoke a dialogue between material and metaphysical realms, exploring the infinite through rhythm, texture, and light. Each mark becomes a trace of stillness and surrender, a visual invocation of unity beyond form.

Shooq’s work has been recognised internationally, with her paintings shortlisted for ArtEvol 2025: Voices from the Undefined at the Saatchi Gallery, London. She has participated in group exhibitions across London and the Middle East and is currently preparing for her debut solo exhibition. Her practice continues to evolve through ongoing research into abstraction and spirituality, bridging gesture, faith, and the ephemeral nature of existence.