Dr Rachel Gadsden is a British multi award winning visual and performance artist and artistic director, who spent her formative years in the Middle East. Expressionist in artistic approach, she creates both solo and collaborative art commissions and projects nationally and internationally through, painting, performance, digital film and animation, with the object of developing cross-cultural dialogues considering universal notions of humanity. Gadsden currently focuses on UK/Arab collaborations, engaging mainstream and vulnerable/disabled individuals and communities in UK & the Arab region, celebrating identity, culture and spirit.
In 2008 Gadsden was appointed the first contemporary artist for Hampton Court Palace 2008 – 2009 for Historic Royal Palaces, and has subsequently undertaken 4 major commissions for UK Parliament (2009 – 2015) and for 4 recent Paralympic Games. London 2012 Cultural Olympiad commissions followed - Unlimited Global Alchemy and Starting Line. In 2013 Gadsden represented the UK, creating “This Breathing World” for Qatar – UK Year of Culture 2013, for British Council and Qatari Government, HRH Prince Charles formally opened the exhibition.
In 2014 Gadsden created a digital artwork for the Sochi, Winter Paralympic Heritage Torch Lighting. Gadsden also embarked on Al Noor ~ Fragile Vision, a multi-cultural collaborative UK and Middle East project and she completed 14 Stations of the Cross paintings for St Joseph’s Cathedral, Abu Dhabi.
Gadsden’s recent work includes It was Paradise (UK & Palestine Occupied Territories), an International Unlimited Commission 2016-2019, exhibitions and performance art commissions for the Misk Art Foundation and Misk Art festival 2018 and 2019, Saudi Arabia, a project, art exhibition and performance commission for Advance Charity with domestic abuse survivors, FIFA – Hyundai art and film commission for FIFA Women’s World Cup Museum exhibition 2019, Paris, and Global “True Passion” campaign, and invitations to be a key note speaker at Arts Activated 2019 Conference, Sydney and a commission and collaboration in collaboration with ADAHK, Hong Kong.
Gadsden’s projects have been exhibited widely throughout UK and Europe and in Australia, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Hong Kong, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the USA.
www.rachelgadsden.com