Freya Saleh is an abstract painter whose practice is centred on creating art that hold a sense of mystery, imbued with an atmosphere that feels ancient, elemental, and enduring.
Working predominantly with deep ochre pigments, she treats colour as both material and metaphor, using it to evoke depth and a quiet presence. Her painting process is notably subtractive. Saleh gradually uncovers the image within the pigment, allowing light, texture, and shadow to define the final forms. Presence is suggested through what remains as much as what has been taken away. Saleh’s work frequently draws upon the language of the human body — anatomy, gesture, and the suggestion of figures that appear to emerge from, or dissolve into, darkness.
Notable among her exhibitions are Christie’s: Picasso, a 50 year legacy, in addition to the Student Exhibition at The Royal Society of British Artists, Mall Galleries, both in London, UK. She also actively contributed to “Ernest Gimson: Observation, Imagination & Making” and “FAKE” at The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum, Cheltenham, in 2018 and 2019 respectively.