Saudi artist Ahmed Mater talks about his work involving magnetism, mirage and Mecca. Ahmed Mater: Chronicles is taking place at Christie’s headquarters located in the heart of St. James’s, London, from July 17 to August 22.
Curated by Dr. Ridha Moumni, Chairman, Christie’s Middle East and Africa and organised thematically, the exhibition will trace Ahmed Mater’s expansive career, from his first artistic experiments to his latest projects.
As an acclaimed multimedia artist working across mediums including photography, videos, paintings, sculptures and installations, the exhibition will illustrate Mater’s unique visual reflections on the transformations across the social and spiritual landscapes of Saudi Arabia, and the Arab World.
Ahmed Mater: Chronicles will trace his artistic genesis from experimental forays during medical school, his formative years in the Al-Meftaha Arts Village, and his involvement in enriching the Kingdom’s contemporary art scene with Edge of Arabia, to the laboratory of ideas and collaborations that his current studio represents.
The Christie exhibition will highlight Mater’s seminal works, which include early-career abstract paintings, the Illumination series, the celebrated Desert of Pharan photography project (featured below) and will also unveil his most recent work, including Magnetism Book.
Drawing on themes of mutation, modernisation, land, and faith, the artworks included in Ahmed Mater: Chronicles will be on loan from prestigious institutions in the Middle East, from important private collections, and from the artist’s studio.
Some of his themes involve nomadism, desert dwellings and the shifting sands of Saudi Arabia. The exhibit will also feature Mater’s upcoming AlUla exhibition.
