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Ahmed Mater

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Ahmed Mater
Ahmed Mater in 2004, pictured wearing elements of the traditional attire from the Asir region in southern Saudi Arabia.
Born (1979-07-25) July 25, 1979 (age 45)
Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
NationalitySaudi
EducationKing Khalid University, Abha College of Medicine – Medical Degree (MBBS)
Known forPhotography, Painting, Conceptual art, Land art
Notable work"Magnetism", "Desert of Pharan", "Illumination"
Awards
Websiteahmedmater.com
Signature

Ahmed Mater (Arabic: أحمد ماطر; born 1979, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia)[1] is a doctor–turned–artist who uses photography, film, video art, and text alongside traditional techniques such as painting, and calligraphy.[2]

Mater's work is in the collections of the British Museum,[3] the Brooklyn Museum,[4] the Centre Pompidou,[5] Dalloul Art Foundation,[6] the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA),[7] the Nadour Collection[8] Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art,[9] and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum,[10]

In 2016 his work was exhibited in a solo show at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC entitled Symbolic Cities: The Work of Ahmed Mater.[11] In 2017 he had a solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum entitled Ahmed Mater: Mecca Journeys.[12] In 2025 the exhibition Ahmed Mater: Antenna was held at the UCCA Edge in Shanghai.[1]

In 2009 his work was included in the Venice Biennale,[13] and again in the exhibition The Future of a Promise at the 2011 Biennale.[14] Other important groups shows include the 2013 exhibition Light from the Middle East at the Victoria and Albert Museum.[15]

Mater has exhibited his work in the Venice Bienale and at the British Museum.[16][17][18]

Career

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In the 2000s, Mater worked in photography, installation, and conceptual art. His work Illumination (2009) referenced the Islamic world. His series Magnetism (2012) uses magnetism to arrange iron filings drawn toward a central black cube.[19][20]

In 2016, Mater participated in the protest gatherings at the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota, where he exhibited Evolution of Man—a work that portrays a human X-ray morphing into a petrol pump.[21]

From 2017 to 2018, Mater served as the director of the Misk Art Institute in Riyadh. The institute organized the exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2018.[22]

In 2022, he created Ashab al-Lal (Mirage), a large-scale land art installation in Wadi AlFann in the desert.[23]

In 2024, Mater collaborated with German photographer Armin Linke on Saudi Futurism, an installation examining the intersection of infrastructure, landscape management and agriculture.[24]

In 2024, he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in recognition of his contributions to the arts and cultural diplomacy.[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Ahmed Mater: Antenna". UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  2. ^ Booth-Clibborn, Edward (2010). Ahmed Mater. UK: Booth-Clibborn Editions. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-86154-318-9.
  3. ^ "Ahmed Mater al-Ziad". British Museum. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  4. ^ "Ahmed Mater". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  5. ^ "Ahmed Mater". Centre Pompidou. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  6. ^ "Ahmed Mater – Artists". Dalloul Art Foundation. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  7. ^ "Ahmed Mater". LACMA Collections. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  8. ^ "Illumination XI & XII". Collection - Nadour. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  9. ^ "Ahmed Mater". National Museum of Asian Art. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  10. ^ "Ahmed Mater". The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  11. ^ "Symbolic Cities: The Work of Ahmed Mater - National Museum of Asian Art". National Museum of Asian Art. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  12. ^ "Ahmed Mater: Mecca Journeys". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "Gulf artists exhibit in Venice Biennale". AP. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  14. ^ "The Future of a Promise: An Exhibition". Khaleejesque. June 12, 2011. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  15. ^ "Light from the Middle East: About the Exhibition". Victoria and Albert Museum. November 26, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  16. ^ Batty, David (October 4, 2012). "Contemporary Saudi artists break down old 'safety' barriers". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com
  17. ^ Fadel, Leila (September 9, 2015). "An Art Scene Flourishes Behind Closed Doors in Saudi Arabia". NPR – All Things Considered. https://www.npr.org
  18. ^ Halbfinger, David M. (December 2, 2016). "A Physician-Turned-Artist Offers a Diagnosis for Islam's Holiest City". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com
  19. ^ "Ahmed Mater – Magnetism (2012)". The British Museum. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "Ahmed Mater: Magnetism". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  21. ^ Ditmars, Hadani (December 2, 2016). "Saudi Artist Ahmed Mater Takes Stand at Standing Rock". Hyperallergic. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Pavilion at Venice Biennale". Official Bespoke. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  23. ^ "Wadi AlFann Presents: Ahmed Mater". Aesthetica Magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  24. ^ "Unveiling 'Saudi Futurism': Ahmed Mater and Armin Linke's Collaboration". Arab News. March 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  25. ^ "Nomination dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres – hiver 2024". Ministère de la Culture. June 24, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
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