In Kareem Soliman's upcoming solo exhibition Wishful Thinking viewers are presented an intimate insight into the profound and sometimes conflicted thoughts and emotions that arose with the birth of his first child and daughter, Stella. This series of works reflects the competing forces that shape human experience, offering a meditation on both the instinct to protect and control, and the deeper, underlying optimism that a brighter future can manifest through positive intention. Soliman examines the occasionally anxious thoughts associated with all the potential "what ifs," hopes and concerns that shape our actions, highlighting the nagging doubts that life can defy our best intentions. Confronting these emotions head-on, Soliman transforms them into a physical form as a means of catharsis and logical conclusion of a reflective process. Over a year of experimentation, Soliman developed a distinctive method of layering that blurs the lines between digital and traditional processes, blending layers of AI-generated imagery before precisely executing using traditional oil painting techniques to create intricate, multi-dimensional compositions that evoke a dreamlike quality, where images form associations and emotive states which resolve and transform under scrutiny. This interplay of layers intended to mirror the dynamism and fluidity that defines our emotional experiences and thought processes. Through Wishful Thinking, Soliman invites viewers to confront the complex and unpredictable relationship between love, fear, and hope, offering a powerful visual representation of the forces that shape our lives. In the creation of a space where the boundaries of art, emotion, and technology intersect, opportunity is provided for deeper reflection on how our emotional landscapes influence both personal experience and the world around us. – Miles Scott