The An Effort residency that Abdalla participated in is founded around narratives. An Effort supports artists who, either through their messaging or their process, seek to connect and engage with their audience and wider community in a unique way. The programme engages artists at different stages of their careers with a particular focus on those artists who explore connection. Endeavouring to provide a new space of belonging, the residency and studio is a space for the selected artists to research, discuss and create; each program is a collaboration between the artists and the residency committee.
Abdalla’s multidisciplinary practice crosses photography, film, performance, works on canvas and installation. Much of Abdalla’s art is invested with research- based cultural narratives and folklore as well as explorations of psychology, social interactions and memory. She interrogates dualities of right/wrong, sin/ righteousness and exposes the fragility of social constructs through her art. Abdalla constructs theatrical scenes cast with characters that represent various facets of the self. The exhibition's title INT. The Body - Sunrise draws from theatrical codes and script writing with "INT" signifying the internal. During the An Effort residency programme Abdalla continued her explorations of these themes using the An Effort framework to refine her technique, explore new mediums and connect with the London art community.
The An Effort residency came during a pivotal moment during Abdalla’s career as she prepares for key international events including Sharjah Biennial 2023 as well as a public art commission to be displayed during Art Basel 2023. She’s also preparing to embark upon the prestigious Cité Internationale des Arts residency in Paris in November 2022. As such the scope of the An Effort residency has allowed Abdalla to refine her ideas and approach to art while also offering an immersion in London’s cultural climate.
