Ahmed Mater in his Studio in Jeddah

Ahmed Mater’s life and work have been shaped by seismic changes and unprecedented social shifts across the Arabian Gulf. Born in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Ahmed moved at an early age to the mountainous Asir region in the South and trained as a community doctor on the Saudi/Yemeni border before becoming one of the most significant Arab artists of his generation.

As an artist, Ahmed uses photography, film, sculpture and performance to map, document and analyse societal developments, considering their psychological impact on the individual, the community, urban environments and society at large. Entwining expressive and culturally engaged artistic aims with the scientific objectives of his medical training, his artistic practice embraces the paradoxes of science and faith. Employing broad research-based techniques, Mater mines and preserves forgotten narratives and unofficial histories to map the Kingdom's past, present and future. As a cultural producer and educator, Mater is dedicated to discourse and social activism as a means to tangibly influence the wider civil society.