The exhibition marks the artist’s first retrospective in London.
Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Mater is breaking new ground. He is expanding from the Kingdom to the United Kingdom, and Christie’s will first host the first retrospective of the artist in London. Ahmed Mater: Chronicles takes place in St James’s Square and from 17 July to 22 August, and will showcase work from throughout his career.
Ahmed is one of Saudi Arabia’s most important artists. He was originally a doctor, and then became an artist. In 2022, he exhibited for the first time in Riyadh with the exhibition, Prognosis 1979-2019. He draws inspiration from his medical past, and the history of the Kingdom.
Ahmed Mater: Chronicles has been curated by Dr Ridha Moumni, and looks back at Ahmed’s career. Organised thematically, it covers installations, paintings, photography and sculptures. Plus, it includes landscapes of Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.
Ahmed Mater explained: “It is a great honour to present my artistic journey at Christie’s historic headquarters in London this summer. It is especially poignant for me to exhibit in London almost 20 years after the first presentation of my work outside Saudi Arabia at the British Museum, in 2005.
“I am thrilled with the opportunity to reconnect with the city and its dynamic art community through this immersive and comprehensive exhibition of my practice. I have been witnessing Christie’s dedication over the years to promote art from the region and it is a distinction to be aligned in this respect, and build an educational and cross-cultural dialogue.”
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