Iriée Zamblé (1995, Amsterdam NL) is a visual artist, based in Amsterdam. Zamblé is one of the winners of the Royal Award for Modern Painting in 2022. She recently finished a 6-month residency at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, supported by the Mondriaan Fund. Zamblé also was an artist-in-residence at Museum het Rembrandthuis in Amsterdam as well as Roodkapje Rotterdam.

Her work is part of multiple collections such as the Ministry of Foreign affairs, Museum het Rembrandthuis and AMC hospital. Zamblé’s work has been shown in numerous museums, galleries, and art fairs such as Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Workplace gallery London and Art Rotterdam.

Zamblé explores the existing norms surrounding portraits by means of drawing and painting. She draws inspiration from everyday life, concepts dissecting the notion of black identity and her West-African heritage.

Drawing from those she sees on the streets, friends and acquaintances, the fictive people appearing in Zamblé’'s paintings are signified by an air of coolness. It is expressed through attitude, fashion and language. It is a means of gaining control over one's own body and narrative, stemming from a lack thereof. Focussing on the details of the painted figures in Zamblé’s work, she makes them into bold and authentic figures, painting them with a sharp eye for style and self-expression.

Iriée Zamblé

at Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris

by Gian Levi Schrouff