Wikipedia

Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings

Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings MBE (Arabic: أميمة مضوي, born April 1969) is a British-Sudanese deaf textile artist based in Brighton[1] who is known for services to people with disabilities in the arts. Mudawi-Rowlings was born and lost her hearing at the age of four due to meningitis. Her family left Sudan when she was twelve as there were no deaf schools or support in Khartoum.

Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings
MBE
أميمة عثمان خالد مضوي
Born
Omeima Osman Khalid Mudawi

April 1969 (age 55)
Sudan[where?]
Citizenship
EducationSurrey Institute of Art & Design, University College (BA, 1998) Birkbeck, University of London (MA)
OccupationTextile artist
Awards
  • Runner-up in the Arab-British Centre for Culture Award (2019)
  • Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE, 2022)
  • Clore Fellowship
  • Finalist for the Niamh White-curated Dentons Art Prize
Websitewww.omeima-arts.com

Mudawi-Rowlings graduated in Textile Design from the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College, in 1998. As a deaf student before the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, she faced challenges with limited support during lectures. She initially worked as a development officer at Friends for Young Deaf People, followed by roles assisting vulnerable deaf individuals and freelancing as a creative consultant. In 2003, she founded the Resonant Deaf Women Artist Network. Mudawi-Rowlings earned a Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Management from Birkbeck, University of London. Her career includes collaborations with organizations like Shape Arts, Artsadmin, and Artichoke. She founded her studio, Omeima Arts, at Cockpit Arts.

Her artwork, including dyes, screen printing, and Devoré technique, explores identity, communication, heritage, gender, and Arabic geometry, influenced by her Sudanese ethnicity. She received numerous awards and honours, including the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to disability inclusion in the arts. Mudawi-Rowlings is a Clore Fellow and a finalist for the Dentons Art Prize.

Life and career

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Early life and education

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Omeima Osman Khalid Mudawi was born in April 1969,[2] in Sudan. She became deaf when she was four years old, after a bout of meningitis,[3] and lived in Khartoum until she was twelve. Then her family decided to leave Sudan, as her brother became deaf too. This was to give them better education and life opportunities than in Khartoum — according to Mudawi-Rowlings — as there were no deaf schools or a deaf community, and teachers didn't understand her disability. However, her father remained in Sudan.[4]

Mudawi-Rowlings graduated from the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in Textile Design, which provided her with the opportunity to employ natural dyes. Mudawi-Rowlings was lured into the world of textiles by her love of colour, Arabic roots, and the chance to experiment with many procedures. Mudawi-Rowlings described her experience being a deaf student, before the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as being tiring and frustrating as support was only being provided during main lectures.[5]

Career

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After her degree, Mudawi-Rowlings struggled to find a job and instead became a development officer at Friends for Young Deaf People. This was followed by numerous employment helping vulnerable and disadvantaged deaf individuals, and a freelancing creative consultancy. In 2003, she founded the Resonant Deaf Women Artist Network.[4]

Mudawi-Rowlings completed a Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Management at Birkbeck, University of London. In 2015, she partnered with Shape Arts and SPACE when she was chosen for a residence in Qatar by the British Council to make work for the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.[6] Then, in 2017, she was given a research and development grant by Unlimited, a Shape Arts and Artsadmin-led initiative to boost the prominence of disabled artists.[7] The following year, Mudawi-Rowlings received a commission from Artichoke to collaborate with local groups in Brighton to design a banner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Suffrage in the United Kingdom.[3] The banner read, "Be Free, Be Visible, Be Counted."[8][9] She then had her own studio space from Cockpit Arts, which allowed her to start her own studio, Omeima Arts.[4]

Mudawi-Rowlings's dyes, screen printing, and Devoré technique[10] work delves into topics of identity and transformation, communication, heritage, and gender. Her Sudanese ethnicity has a strong effect on her work,[11] and she likes exploring inspirations from Arabic geometry.[12][13] In addition to her practice, Mudawi-Rowlings works as a mentor and consultant trainer for emerging artists and young people, collaborating with prominent organisations, particularly those interested in inclusive practices[12][14]

Personal life

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Mudawi-Rowlings's father is Osman Mudawi, who was one of the founders of the National Congress Party, who ruled Sudan for 30 years until the Sudanese Revolution in 2019.[15][16] Mudawi-Rowlings comes from a big family of four sisters and five brothers.[4][3] Her deaf brother, Ahmed Mudawi, is a BSL TV presenter, and Black and deaf awareness trainer.[17]

Awards and honours

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Mudawi-Rowlings was the runner-up in the Arab-British CentAward for Culture in 2019.[18][19] She became a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), awarded in the Queen's New Year's Honours list in 2022 for her "services to people with disabilities in the arts."[20][21] Following Queen Elizabeth II's death, Mudawi-Rowlings received her medal from King Charles III during the February 2023 investiture.[22]

Mudawi-Rowlings is a Clore Fellow, a fellowship that aims to develop leaders from a variety of cultural disciplines and industries.[23] She was chosen as a finalist for the Niamh White-curated Dentons Art Prize.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Achievement, service and dedication rewarded by Queen in New Year Honours List". Brighton and Hove News. 31 December 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Omeima MUDAWI-ROWLINGS personal appointments". GOV.UK. Companies House. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Juliet England: Meet Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings, MBE – deaf textile artist and creative consultant". The Limping Chicken. 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d "Deaf Role Model of the Month: Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings". DeafUnity.org. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  5. ^ Arts, University for the Creative. "Textiles alumna awarded MBE for services in the arts". University for the Creative Arts - UCA. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  6. ^ "My Time in Qatar". Shape Arts. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  7. ^ "A Q&A with... Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings, textiles artist". a-n The Artists Information Company. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  8. ^ Various (1 September 2020). Women Making History: Processions the Banners. Profile Books Limited. ISBN 978-1-78816-545-7. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings - With ten hearing and eight deaf women: Lili Roseveare, Colette McDowell, Jennifer Engledow, Carole Sanderson, Louise Friedli, Olivia Tumim, Alison Rogers, Amaia Olasagarre, Katherine scase, Oriele Steiner, Kimberley Swann, Parveen Dunlin, Penny Hall, Yasmin kovic, Savita burke, Jaqueline Buksh, Lily Nile Mudawi-Rowlings, and Mary Mallett". Google Arts & Culture. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Wheel of Life". www.craftscouncil.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Making Zoetropes The Wheel of Life". Deaf Explorer. 1 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings". The Arab British Centre. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Making Zoetropes with Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings & Melanie Tomlinson". Deaf Explorer. 11 March 2019. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  14. ^ Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee (19 December 2014). HC 481 - Improving Access to Work for Disabled People. The Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0-215-08085-1. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  15. ^ "مولانا عثمان خالد مضوي.. قراءة في سيرة سياسي سوداني" [Maulana Osman Khaled Mudawi: A reading of the biography of a Sudanese politician]. عربي21 (in Arabic). 17 June 2021. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  16. ^ "من هو مولانا عثمان خالد مضوى؟" [Who is Maulana Osman Khaled Mudawi?] (in Arabic). 9 June 2020. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Deaf Role Model of the Month – Ahmed Mudawi". DeafUnity.org. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Omeima Mudawi Rowlings". About Her. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  19. ^ "OMEIMA MUDAWI ROWLING". Arab News. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  20. ^ "New Year Honours list in full". The Independent. 1 January 2022. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  21. ^ "The full list of people in the county on New Year's Honours List 2022". The Argus. 31 December 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  22. ^ "ملك بريطانيا يكرم التشكيلية السودانية أميمة عثمان خالد مضوي" [The King of Britain honors Sudanese plastic artist Omaima Osman Khaled Mudawi]. وزارة الإعلام (in Arabic). 12 February 2023. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Harnessing Cultural Capital to achieve authentic inclusivity | The Clore Leadership Programme". www.cloreleadership.org. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings". Artichoke. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
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