AMINA BEN ISMAIL

JAN-FEB 2026

Amina Ben Ismail (b. 1995) is a Tunisian born and raised artist currently based in London.
Trained in Anthropology, Visual Arts and in Theatre, her practice gravitates toward the portrayal of ritual, and the liminal spaces where lived experience transforms into art.

Her work explores the politics of gathering, through the intertwined histories of Tunisian, Arab, and Irish cultures- Foregrounding the value of what they share: conviviality, humour, and generosity. Formally, She is drawn to imperfection and spontaneity: irregular compositions, loose, gestural shapes, and the emotional immediacy of bold colour.
Working primarily with oil pastels over acrylics or oil paint, she often references the texture and palette of art naif to imbue her pieces with a sense of honesty, intimacy, and play.

Her work is rooted in the belief that art can-and should-be tender, open, and unpretentious. In both Arab and Irish cultural traditions, there is an ethics of inclusion, of sharing, of welcoming without condition that her work seeks to explore. Against the isolating logic of late capitalism, where efficiency and self- interest dominate, she seeks to depict and create spaces that invite us to slow down, gather, and remember that joy too, is a form of dissent.