Róza El-Hassan (*1966 in Budapest) is one of Hungary’s most prominent contemporary artists. Over the past twenty years, the Hungarian-Syrian artist has acquired an international reputation for her drawings, sculptures, objects, installations, actions, and videos. Her body of drawings is like a golden thread running through her multifaceted, project-oriented oeuvre, which also includes artistic collaborations and curatorial involvement. The drawings included in this publication call attention to El-Hassan’s development—from the early, abstract, conceptually influenced works produced in the nineties to the more personal and emotional pieces of the past decade, which draw on her own experience. The overarching theme is the ambivalence arising from the mix of artistic autonomy, political relevance, and aesthetic ambition. Exhibition schedule: Kunstmuseum Basel, February 11–May 20, 2012