Celebrating Black History Month with Sofia Doudine

To celebrate Black History Month and the creative contributions of our artists, we caught up with the wonderful Sofia Doudine to talk about her North African heritage and what Black History Month means to her as an artist. You can explore Sofia's vibrant collection here, or read below to learn more about her. If you're looking for more Figurative inspiration, explore our Black History Month collection here. 

Hi Sofia! Let’s get you introduced to our audience, we can see you are based in Paris, is this where you are originally from? Tell us about your early days!

I’m a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. I’m 34 and I’m the last born in a family of 8 girls, in a small rural town in the east of France (Luxeuil les Bains). Since 11, I grew up in a suburb of Paris (Les Mureaux), I studied art and graphic design in Paris and I recently moved to Beausoleil, a city bordering Monaco!

We love your bold, graphic and figurative art prints, what inspires you to create work around women?

Growing up in an exclusively female environment, of Moroccan culture and in a multicultural city such as Les Mureaux has undeniably influenced my creations. I have long observed and admired my 7 big sisters but also the women I met on a daily basis, mainly from the African continent. Then Parisian life and travel allowed me to broaden this field of exploration. They fascinate me with their originality, their life paths, their strengths, their beauties, their complex personalities far from the clichés that society gives us.

The colorful graphic bias came naturally. What better way to represent the multiplicity of ethnic groups, bodies, personalities, emotions than colour! When I am asked this question, the quote of the painter Pierre Soulages always comes back to my mind: “It is what I do that tells me what I am looking for”. So, I believe that I am simply trying to share my gaze of the women around me.

Tell us about the step by step creative process behind each of your unique designs?

In general it starts with a feeling, an emotion or from a photo I see in Pinterest or elsewhere. I draw the silhouette first on the iPad, I adjust the shapes, I try as much as possible to simplify them, and finally I spend a lot of time choosing the colors! Most of the time I do an illustration in one shot or in a short period of time because when I stop before I'm done I can't get back to it properly, I lose the feeling and the inspiration. Actually it's a very instinctive way to proceed.

We’re very excited to showcase your work as part of our Black History Month feature, can you tell us what Black History Month means to you?

Thank you so much for having me in your selection! I’m so happy to be a part of this! This mouvement means a lot to me. I started to draw mainly women of color naturally without thinking about it probably because I wanted to see more of racial representations. We can notice some changes in mainstream media but it’s not enough, the white supremacist narrative is too entrenched in the system, in our subconscious. Our ancestors lived it and we continue to internalize it in a certain way. It will take time but education is the key. This cause is touching me as a racialized person, as an African, as a human.

  

Joy and Phenomenal by Sofia Doudine

What would you like people who are not of an Arabic origin to know about your culture?

Far away from the orientalist gaze, I want them to change their look upon the Arabic culture, as all cultures around the world, Arabic culture is in motion, it evolves, opens up and connects more and more to other cultures thanks to the internet. I want to let them know how plural the arabian women are. The reality is that people are not that far apart. A sexual orientation, a gender, a nationality, a look, a religion doesn’t define us. We are much more complex than that. We are all unique and that is beautiful.

Are you doing anything in particular to celebrate Black History Month?

Nothing in particular but as I have a passion for literature and I have been strongly influenced by bookstagram and booktube for a few years, I educate myself on several topics regarding black history throughout the year. On themes such as Africa, colonization, feminism through essays, fiction and non-fiction. I realized how much I have to unlearn and put into perspective what I had been taught at school, by reading more black and racialized authors. So I don't feel it as a one-off event, but a personal process that I have been following for several years now.

What's your earliest memory related to art, design or Illustration? First museum visit or creative experience that had an impact on you?

I drew sporadically throughout my childhood, then much more when I fell in love with the world of manga and anime during my adolescence. Later, I studied art in Paris and before visiting the museums it was the city in itself that impressed me by its architecture and the monuments, every place is charged by history. I love this city so much.

Did you go to art school and if so, what did you study?

I graduated as a graphic designer specializing in graphic design, advertising and publishing. Studying artistic movements, nude drawings, calligraphy, graphism, advertising and graphic software was so interesting. If I could I would have continued to learn and experiment much more but I wanted to be independent quickly. I worked for a long time as a graphic designer then in web design and web development for many companies, but since 2018 I have refocused on my strengths - creative works on graphic design and illustration.

What do you each do for fun outside of the studio?

It's been a year now since I started skating. When I'm in Paris I’ll never miss the roller dance events. I go there with friends or alone to connect with people. I've heard a lot about the roller skating community in London, I can't wait to meet them!

Quick Fire Questions:

It’s Friday night, what’s your go to cocktail?

I'm not much of a cocktail person, but when that happens I always grab a virgin mojito!

What is your last Google search?

A Japanese grammar point!

What never fails to make you laugh?

Malcolm in the middle! I know all the episodes by heart but I laugh every time.

What’s your go-to holiday destination?

Wherever I can find the sun and the sea.

Salty or sweet?

Both, love the mix!

Explore Sofia's vibrant collection here, or read below to learn more about her. If you're looking for more Figurative inspiration, explore our Black History Month collection here.