Danielle Anna Selma

Born 1985, Paris, France
Lives and works, London, England

Deeply rooted in female agency, Danielle Anna Selma's practice seeks to manifest a reparative flux while embracing a relentless desire to challenge the status quo. Coming from a mixed cultural heritage, the artist is interested in language and the affect that gestures bear. Her making is multi-layered and her process a unique blend of paint, printmaking and textiles.

She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Parsons The New School, New York in 2009. In 2016, she trained both at the Royal School of Needlework in Hampton Court Palace, England and at Ecole Lesage in Paris, France to further develop her embroidery skills. She is currently completing her MA at the Royal College of Art in Printmaking.

How do we alter and mend the fabric that makes us?

The intent of my work is to bear witness to the numerous parts within us and their intricate workings.

As I use my hands to cut, stitch and glue pieces together, I cannot help but think of my father’s practice as a surgeon and the mark it has left on me. As I fluctuate between text and abstract writing forms, I think of my mother’s unsung efforts in keeping our family bond strong.

I paint, draw, write words and free flowing shapes onto acetate and later screenprint these gestural marks onto different materials. I deeply enjoy the meditative aspect and reparative flux that embroidery, collaging and my repeated scripts bring into my practice. These final stages allow me to sit with the work and heal more vulnerable parts.