Shani Osman graduated with a first class degree in Fine Art in 2011, from the University of Chichester.
Since completing her degree, Shani has exhibited in a number of different galleries, including the Mall Galleries in London.
‘Coming from a racially mixed background I have always questioned my identity and been observant of others’.
Inspired by Chris Ofili’s mid career retrospective at Tate Britain (2010), Shani decided to travel to Malawi, Africa (the birth
place of her nan and mother’s family) in hope to develop her own signature style and learn more about her roots. The two week visit had an immediate impact on her work. She became fascinated with people and representation, recalling: ‘In Malawi we were treated like celebrities and the children would imitate and mirror our actions, because they could see that we were European. Unlike Malawi, the UK is a very multi – cultural society, yet in both countries the way in which an individual is treated is governed by how they are seen.’
Upon her return, Shani developed her own unique style. Her signature thick strokes place her work precariously between figurative and abstract art.
‘My paintings are precise, yet painterly, creating a likeness with an abstract surface. It is very much about seeing, using the brush marks to define the figure.’
In 2014, Shani took a break from painting and went back to University for a year. Shani graduated in 2015 and now continues to travel and paint the people that she meets.