The Promega Fall Art Showcase, Family Ties, features an exhibition by British-born, Madison-based artist and BIOS Fellow, Dr. Faisal Abdu’Allah. The exhibition offers a deeply personal exploration of identity, legacy and the powerful bonds that define our sense of belonging.
BIOS supported Dr. Abdu’Allah’s photography, printmaking, and equipment for the UW Athletics pieces.
Faisal Abdu’Allah
Faisal Abdu’Allah is the Chazen Family Distinguished Chair in Art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His work has been exhibited internationally and continues to push boundaries across media, identity and discourse.
At the heart of Family Ties is Abdu’Allah’s belief that family—whether rooted in bloodlines, chosen kinship or shared purpose—serves as both anchor and mirror. Through a series of multi-layered screen-printed portraits, constructed alter egos and large photo tapestries, the artist explores the passage of time, unpacked masculinity, mythology and racial perception. Subjects include:
- Members of Abdu’Allah’s own family
- Self-portraits featuring Duppy Conqueror, the artist’s alter ego inspired by Caribbean folklore and Rastafarian culture
- University of Wisconsin football players, 25 years after their Rose Bowl victory
- Members of the University of Wisconsin Women’s Soccer Team
- Leo Vinton Butts ’20, the son of one of Madison’s earliest black residents, was the first known African-American to represent the University of Wisconsin on the football field. A native of Madison, Butts was a substitute lineman on the 1918 varsity football squad.
Learn more about the event HERE.
