Ali Thiam - Digital Portfolio

Through charcoal, graphic, and digital media, I create art that explores my internal emotional landscape and memory. I explore my subconscious and combine references from different points of my life. This process has caused me to unconsciously create subtly connecting artworks.

I enjoy creating art in black and white with minimal punctuation of color. However, I enjoy painting colorfully, and including acrylic paint in physical illustrations is fun. 3D media is also a refreshing output. I select visual metaphors that reference anatomy, i.e. hands, anatomical hearts, eyes, and teeth. In a series of personal charcoal drawings, these images are repeated and engaged with other subconscious imagery and inspiration from other artists to form unique narratives. I tend to moderately emulate surrealist artists like Salvador Dalí and artists who create almost feverish work because I enjoy art that challenges the kind of visions one could bring to fruition, art that seems like I’m looking into someone’s head. For example, I have a digital work called Emerge that collected some surrealist inspiration, leading me to channel my pure thoughts into the work. I do not always try to craft a composition with a certain emotion or set of emotions as I prefer to let it form independently. Occasionally, I will choose a set of objects in a composition to represent my feelings or feelings that exist about something. For example, Vexed was crafted as a metaphor for frustration and controversy with the rocks and flowing lava.

In my obscure compositions and dreamlike efforts inspired by many artists’ brilliant work, an important purpose of my work is to propose something people can meaningfully connect with. I do not wish for any viewer to believe there are confines to what they can feel in my work that is significant to them. This art can be the thing that understands someone in an unusual way.