“Karimah grew up in Newport, South Wales, in a Yemeni, Bangladeshi and Welsh family. She moved to London about seven years ago to study and graduated with an MA in architecture from the Royal College of Art. Unsurprisingly, given this background, Karimah thinks carefully about the consumption of her art and the value of multidisciplinary design.” - iD

Karimah Hassan with painting, London. Photo Credit Gary Van Handley 2023

BIO

Karimah's artistic practice investigates the intersection of cultural memory and spiritual consciousness through large-scale paintings and installations. Drawing from her Welsh, Yemeni, and Bangladeshi heritage, she creates works that challenge traditional narratives while honoring ancestral wisdom. Her current series, 'Four Generations,' explores generational heritage through abstracted forms and vibrant chromatic studies.

Following her MA in Architecture from the Royal College of Art, Karimah developed a distinctive spatial approach to painting, informed by architectural principles of light, scale, and human interaction. Her bold, expressive aesthetic has garnered recognition from significant institutions including Selfridges, London and The Standard, New York. As an artist in residence at Alexander McQueen's Sarabande Foundation, she produced her acclaimed 'Strangers Yearbook' series, now permanently installed in London's King's Cross.

“Hassan's work captures how it is to be in the moment... It's all part of Hassan's ongoing mission to use art as an instrument to connect.” - Elle

Karimah creates her work from the studio to the street, to the canvas; it moves between these spaces, questioning the delineation between street art, fine art and community art. Through live paintings at performance events across London and New York, she highlights the importance of communities in contemporary art. Recent institutional collaborations include The Barbican, while partnerships with Burberry and other luxury houses have allowed her to expand her artistic vision into new contexts.

“Through her street art projects she engages a broader community and breaks down barriers, bringing other people's stories to life, lifting them up and highlighting them in their own environments.” - The Wick

Her latest solo exhibition at Rosewood London, in collaboration with Frieze 2024, marks a pivotal expansion of her practice. Her upcoming series 'Soleil,' debuting in Ibiza 2025, furthers her exploration of light, heritage, and transformative spatial experiences.