British artist Sahara Longe’s first institutional exhibition will open at Arnolfini in Summer 2025 with a new body of work unique to Arnolfini, continuing her exploration of semi-abstract figures as they move between private and public spaces.

Following her hauntingly personal exhibition Sugar (New York, 2024), where nudes were intimately enclosed within Symbolist imagery, Longe now returns to the clothed figure, capturing fleeting moments and the anonymity of the city against richly coloured backdrops inspired by post-war patterns. Including two monumental 4-metre-long paintings, scenes encompass ambiguous conversations and interactions, inviting audiences to imagine a multitude of stories that might live within.

Longe trained for four years at the Florentine atelier Charles H. Cecil Studio, where she studied classical drawing and painting with an emphasis on creating portraits from live models. During this time, Longe learned traditional oil-paintings techniques used by the old masters, which she continues to employ today.