
Noor Soussi
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£80,000 - £100,000

Head of Department

Group Head

Sale Coordinator
Provenance:
Property from a private collection, Gibraltar
Acquired directly from the artist by the above
Published:
Saatchi Art, 2014, Best Artworks of 2014 selected by Saatchi Chief Curator Rebecca Wilson
Note:
This painting is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the Artist
A monumental 2014 composition by Turner prize nominee Mohammed Sami
Selected as Best Artwork of 2014 by Rebecca Wilson, curator of Saatchi Art, this compelling painting captures the profound human struggle of displacement and forced migration. In this surreal composition, a solitary figure carries his bed, belongings, and memories while journeying toward an uncertain horizon. The image evokes the emotional and physical burdens endured by those uprooted through war, conflict, or economic hardship.
Chains appear on the right side of the painting, adorned with symbols representing different religions and faiths. These motifs serve as a poignant reminder that the consequences of war and forced migration transcend borders and belief systems, affecting people from all walks of life.
The figure's heavy suitcases can be interpreted as metaphors for family, memory, and emotional weight, the invisible burdens of exile. The bed, an intimate emblem of safety and belonging, becomes a portable relic of a lost home.
Through his distinctive surrealist language, Sami transforms personal and collective trauma into a universal narrative about endurance and the search for belonging. The work stands as an early testament to the artist's emotional depth and vision, qualities that have positioned him as a leading favourite for the 2025 Turner Prize.