Authors

Ahmed Mater

Physician-turned-artist Ahmed Mater is one of the most significant cultural voices documenting contemporary Saudi Arabia and its place in the global context. His life and work have been shaped by seismic changes and unprecedented social shifts. He uses photography, film, sculpture, and performance to map, document, and analyze these rapid developments, considering their psychological impact on the individual, the community, urban environments, and society at large. Entwining expressive and politically engaged artistic aims with the scientific objectives of his medical training, his creative 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 activist and educator, Mater is dedicated to discourse and social activism as a means to influence wider civil society.