Hamlyn Terrace artist Randa Magdi is attracting attention for all the right reasons.
While she has enjoyed the spotlight on the Coast, she has never been so taken aback as she was when a gallery in Milan approached her to be part of a global exhibition.
COVID, it turns out, does have some silver linings.
Many artists and galleries around the world learned that art-lovers are just as keen on digital exhibitions as they are real life ones.
M.A.D.S Gallery Milan Curator Lucrezia Perropane approached Randa out of the blue after she saw one of her paintings on social media.
Perropane explained that that they no longer need to rely on gallery visitors to make sales all over the world, and that they wanted to include her works in an upcoming web-based exhibition called ‘F**K U’.
“I found Randa through an Instagram search and was immediately struck by her art, so joyful, lively and colourful.
“It is an art that reflects her personality a lot. Randa is a cheerful and lively person, who loves to break the mold.
Portraits by her are unique and unusual, which is why they immediately grab the attention of viewers,” said Perropane.
Randa said she was thrilled to be approached but was initially worried it may have been a scam.
“I looked them up straight away as I had been approached by scammers before.
“I was so happy to discover that M.A.D.S is an authentic, Milan-based gallery.
“I found an article on the San Diego Union-Tribune about an artist there who had also featured in one of the gallery’s shows.
“It was a real awakening, realising that an artist here on the Coast can attract global attention.
“And this was all from a room in my house that doubles for a bedroom and a studio,” she laughed.
Randa has only recently returned to full-time painting and makes a point of creating something each day.
“I’m passionate about and obsessed with colour and I avoid restrictions to the rules or methods of art convention,” she said.
Opportunities for Randa have been coming through thanks to the exposure she has gained online.
More recently she was also approached by a Curator in Crete who is putting together a ‘Night of Contemporary Art’ at private villa called Moma in October, with artists from 15 countries displaying their works.
“I am trying to figure out if I will go. I certainly hope I can,” Randa said.
Randa’s work has been included in exhibitions at La Carta Gallery in Wyong and in the Showroom Gallery in Newcastle.
Her solo show, Crazy Corona Capers, ran from April to June last year and she is part of the Bodies exhibition at Wyong Art House from now until February 28.
F**K U runs February 28 to March 6.
More information can be found at www.madsgallery.art
Nicola Riches