Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings

Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings MBE (Arabic: أميمة مضوي, born April 1969) is a British-Sudanese deaf textile artist based in Brighton^[1] who is known for services to people with disabilities in the arts. Mudawi-Rowlings was born and lost her hearing at the age of four due to meningitis. Her family left Sudan when she was twelve as there were no deaf schools or support in Khartoum.

Mudawi-Rowlings graduated in Textile Design from the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College, in 1998. As a deaf student before the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, she faced challenges with limited support during lectures. She initially worked as a development officer at Friends for Young Deaf People, followed by roles assisting vulnerable deaf individuals and freelancing as a creative consultant. In 2003, she founded the Resonant Deaf Women Artist Network. Mudawi-Rowlings earned a Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Management from Birkbeck, University of London. Her career includes collaborations with organizations like Shape Arts, Artsadmin, and Artichoke. She founded her studio, Omeima Arts, at Cockpit Arts.

Her artwork, including dyes, screen printing, and Devoré technique, explores identity, communication, heritage, gender, and Arabic geometry, influenced by her Sudanese ethnicity. She received numerous awards and honours, including the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to disability inclusion in the arts. Mudawi-Rowlings is a Clore Fellow and a finalist for the Dentons Art Prize.