Sarah Maple
Encyclopedia
Biography
Maple was born in 1985 to a Muslim mother and Christian raised father, and was raised as a Muslim. She studied Fine Art at Kingston UniversityKingston University
Kingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
.
In 2007 she won the "4 New Sensations" competition, run by Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in conjunction with the Saatchi Gallery
Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery is a London gallery for contemporary art, opened by Charles Saatchi in 1985 in order to exhibit his collection to the public. It has occupied different premises, first in North London, then the South Bank by the River Thames and currently in Chelsea. Saatchi's collection, and...
. The competition's aim is "to find the most exciting and imaginative artistic talent in the UK" from among art students graduating that year.
Much of Maple's inspiration originates from being brought up as a Muslim, with parents of mixed religious and cultural backgrounds. Blurring the lines between popular culture and religious devotion in an unfailingly mischievous manner, Sarah's aesthetic narrative urges the viewer to challenge traditional notions of religion, identity and the societal role of women.
Maple's work often takes on fabricated scenes and situations. She is affected by the art world, as well as from her general surroundings; including friends, family, television and popular culture. She is also greatly moved by music, comedy and literature. She believes these influences are truly woven into her art and provide the platform upon which her work is realised.
Maple states that the aim of her work is 'to give my audience food for thought. I believe comedy is a great tool to achieve this, which is why I choose to portray my conceptual ideas through a light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek approach'.
Recent exhibitions have been held in Munich, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Milan, London and Paris.