Sara Oussaiden is an artist, writer, and curator, born in Dundee and raised on the Isle of Skye. She recently graduated with a BA in Art and Philosophy from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, where she presented her degree show project Lay Me Where I’m Loved. Working primarily through sculpture and painting, Sara seeks relatability through tangible, material forms. Her practice is shaped by contemporary ecological movements and the theories of interconnected living as written by philosophers Astrida Neimanis and Donna Haraway. Sara’s process of art-as-research and research-as-art allows complex narratives to develop through experimentation, reflection, and dialogue. Her work explores how community engagement, nurtured through explorative yet accessible spaces, can lead to meaningful and positive social change.

See Sara’s work as part of our annual autumn open call exhibition, Future/Past, featuring a sublime collection of works by twenty six artists inspired by ancestral echoes and future visions; pieces that dismantle tradition, reimagine narratives, and linger in the margins of the radical, the oneiric, and the everyday.

Thanks for being with us, Sara. Can you tell us how you arrived at the theme of your work?
My work usually begins with a specific prompt or theme that allows a broader network of influences to take shape around it, gradually forming something that feels substantial enough to bring to life.

For this particular project, titled Lay Me Where I’m Loved, the initial prompt in my mind was ‘weight’; the feeling of a water balloon in your hand, a cat slung lazily over the back of the couch, the collapse of a body at the end of a long day. It’s about an object’s innate desire to be at its most complete form of rest through uncertainty, both physically and spiritually, and finding comfort in the process.

Which artists inspire you? Are there non-artistic influences such as literature or music that impact your work?
I draw inspiration from a wide range of artists, including Berlinde De Bruyckere, Jenny Saville, and Ken Currie. I like to stay on the pulse of contemporary art and performance by visiting galleries, theatres, and engaging with creatives across all media.

For this particular project, I incorporated additional forms of media that I don’t traditionally work with, such as photography, print-making, prose, poetry, and music, which helped build a more textured and layered response to the theme.

Although I stay up to date with contemporary artists and sculptors, I try not to look too closely at specific artists when working on a project. This helps me avoid overly direct visual influence and encourages a more abstract, playful, and personal approach.

How has your practice changed over time?
My practice is constantly evolving. I approach each project with a willingness to learn new skills and explore different media. I’ve never found one single medium that feels like ‘the one’. Instead, I jump between painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and textiles, depending on what the story or concept demands. That adaptability is something I value deeply in my creative process.

Are there specific advantages or challenges associated with working in your chosen mediums? Have you experimented with other mediums or techniques?
Working primarily with clay can be both exhilarating and terrifying – especially on a large scale. Pieces can collapse during sculpting, crack while drying, or even explode in the kiln. These risks make the survival of a final piece feel especially meaningful.

Often, the finished work looks nothing like the original plan, but the marks and traces of the process become visual reminders of the journey the material has taken. It becomes something with its own life and voice.

I chose ceramics for this project because it mirrors the life cycle the work speaks to; a material coming from the land, shaped by human hands and experiences, and eventually breaking down to return to the earth again.

How do you know when a piece is complete?
I know a piece is complete when it feels balanced, not just visually, but emotionally. Often it’s less about finishing and more about reaching a moment where the material and the idea are in conversation with each other. There’s a quiet kind of resolution in that.

Are there any upcoming events or additional information you would like the audience to know?
Each of my projects looks completely different from the last and that’s what makes being a creative so exciting. Birds, mythologies, and poetry are all in the works right now… though how or when they’ll manifest is still to be determined 😉

In the meantime, I’ve been working with fellow DJCAD graduates to form a collective called Dundee Ceramics Showcase. I’m excited to share that we’ll be hosting an exhibition at the University of Dundee’s Lamb Gallery starting November 10th, celebrating the past, present, and future of DJCAD’s ceramics department!

Connect with Sara on Instagram. Future/Past runs at Six Foot Gallery until Tuesday 14th October.