Foreign Bodies II
Oil paint on wood panel, 45.7 x 35.5cm
2025






In Roman North Africa, Lions were tessellated into floors, appearing in the mosaic pavements of elite villas, particularly in sites such as Carthage, El Djem, and Sousse. These mosaics adorned dining rooms, baths, and atriums, fixing wild bodies into ordered, domestic space. Lions were featured in arena spectacles and mythological tableaux, often alongside figures like Dionysus and Orpheus. Many of these mosaics are now housed in the Bardo Museum (Tunis) and the Sousse Archaeological Museum. Foreign Bodies II recreates these forms and returns volume to the flattened image. The lions become vessels, interior spaces that hold rest, sleep, and vulnerability.


Co-commissioned and co-produced by Dream City / L’Art Rue and Art Jameel


Photos: Seeing Things Studio