Known for paintings and installations that reflect life's complexities and contradictions, Madani often portrays human figures in vulnerable, perplexing, and humorous states. Her characters, placed in cinematic and dream-like spaces, evoke a surreal and unsettling atmosphere. Madani’s mastery of painting allows her to play with the medium itself, blending quick, witty brushstrokes with deep critical insight.
At the Henry, Madani takes the next step in her practice, deepening her explorations through new suites of blackboard and Film Fall paintings, along with a selection of animations presented in intimate architectural settings. The exhibition also introduces a new series of satirical depictions of father figures engaged in sports, a traditionally masculine domain, portrayed with absurdity and vulnerability. Through her signature humor, Madani critiques conventional notions of masculinity and power, shedding light on the contradictions within familial and social structures.
Be flat invites visitors to a multi-sensory experience, encountering and re-encountering Madani’s fantastical characters and the uncanny aspects of her imagery while questioning our assumptions about identity and power.