Curated By
Stephen Stapleton
Organised by
Edge of Arabia
In October 2010, Ahmed Mater presented his first UK solo exhibition and launched an accompanying visual monograph at the Vinyl Factory Gallery in the heart of London’s Soho. 'Ahmed Mater' is published internationally by Booth-Clibborn Editions and includes contributions by Venetia Porter, Linda Komaroff, Tim Mackintosh-Smith, Ahmed Al-Omran, Aarnout Helb, Ashraf Fayadh and Stephen Stapleton.
Mater's work is informed by his education and life as a medical doctor, as well as by his traditional upbringing and Saudi culture. His journey from a rural community in the mountainous south-west of Arabia, to becoming a successful practising doctor and contemporary artist, brings a compelling originality to a body of work that speaks boldly and with great compassion.
In a sell-out exhibition, Mater presented a series of paintings, video art and installations including Illuminations, his most sought after and precious works, Evolution of Man which has become internationally recognised as an iconic work of contemporary Saudi art; Antenna and the Yellow Cow project.
Mater has created an iconic visual language within the boundaries of his faith, culture and scientific training. His work is layered with references to his life in the hospital, in the mosque and his experiences living within Arabic culture during an era of great political and cultural turmoil. Against this backdrop, he explores ideas directly connected to his encounters with ordinary people in real-life situations, and because of this, the underlying narratives within his work speak to an authentic and universal human experience.
