The Fallen Rain (2025)

For this diptych, Taqwa Ali works with hibiscus, a material she strongly associates with her homeland, Sudan. In her studio, she makes the pigment herself: dried hibiscus flowers are steeped in water, dried again, and finely ground, after which the powder is mixed with an oil emulsifier. The initially red color changes during the drying process through a chemical reaction, resulting in deep shades of blue and gray.

In this process, the constant interplay between control and chance is central, giving rise to organic forms and subtle textures. Transformation is inherent to the material itself. Deep shades of blue and gray evoke associations with flowing water, dense fog, and oxidized metal surfaces.

Ali’s way of seeing is closely linked to her personal history. Since leaving Sudan, digital satellite imagery has become a way for her to return to places that are no longer physically accessible. The memory of her homeland’s landscape appears in an abstract manner, from a bird’s-eye view, and becomes a space where distance and memory converge. In dialogue with the sculptures placed in front of the canvases, the works explore themes such as transience, transformation, and the constant interplay between matter, time, and environment.