Ahmed Mater is considered one of the most significant artists in the Saudi contemporary art world. In addition, he works in a hospital in Abha, the captial of Aseer province of Saudi Arabia, as a fully qualified medical doctor.

In a setting better known for its collections from Pharaonic Egypt and imperial China, the paintings by Harb and Joha — both from Gaza — more than hold their own. Their confident, accomplished work combines visual beauty with a questioning sensibility that is intellectually as well as aesthetically satisfying.
Harb’s contributions to the exhibition come from the  Invisibility  series. Several feature single or paired heads set amid washes of muted colors — grays, blues and greens. Are these lakes or deserts? Calm or drowning? All have a sense of detachment and loneliness, their identities often half-obscured.

Hazem Harb, the prominent Palestinian artist who has just sold a series of photographs to the British Musuem in London and was one of the installation artists who took pride of place in Athr Gallery’s booth at Art Dubai last month, will be painting live all weekend in Dubai.
As part of Dubai Art Season 2014, Harb is one of three international aritsts occupying the ‘Live Artist Window’ at The Beach, the new leisure destination on JBR.

" We are trying to deliver a message, to give each artist its worth and to tell a story, to educate and raise awareness and the public’s appreciation of the arts,” explains Raneem Farsi, the co-curator.

When  Ahmed Mater  visited Mecca in 2010 something felt off. Dozens of cranes were eating away at the mosque to make way for a larger complex surrounding the Kaaba.
The changes were irrevocably transforming the city’s landscape. So the practicing physician and contemporary artist took pictures. He titled his project “Desert of Pharan” in a nod to Mecca’s ancient name.

It is always eye opening to see how someone from a distinct cultural background perceives a particular culture and Daydban, in his exhibition, aims to play his part in keeping the dialogue among cultures alive. “Al-Fatra” will be on display at the French Consulate until Saturday, April 5.

"The way you create your art, whether it be geometry or illumination, I can’t be in a bad mood or not centered. You need to be focused 100 percent and spiritually centered. It’s so time consuming that there is a term when producing the art as a form of “dhekir” and every brush stroke is a form of dhekir and the things I’m creating, sacred geometry and illuminations, are all a reflection of Allah’s creations. There’s a quote from Rumi which is my favorite that says “There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground, there are a thousand ways to go homeagain,” this is another element that speaks to me personally, it’s my connection. That’s the beauty of it."

To mark the final day of Art Dubai, The Art Blog conducted a mini questionnaire with a selection of galleries. Here is Mohammed Hafiz from Athr Gallery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

“I create  art  that explores themes of spirituality and the ‘sacred’ through the use of historical artistic disciplines. My aim is to educate and raise awareness not only about traditional techniques of art making, which is nearly nonexistent, but also about the beauty of Islam, a side a lot of people don’t know of.” She believes her art makes a difference at a time when “horrible stereotypes” are attached to religion. “I hope through my art I can break down these misconceptions and try to start a positive dialogue. When I talk about the spirituality behind religion it allows people from other cultures and religions to relate to it and find similarities with their own beliefs and practices. I guess I am trying to give people a sense of unity rather than build even  more  barriers.”

Perched at the crown of a shopping mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Athr Gallery has become one of the most progressive venues of the Gulf—in fact,  Esquire Magazine  called it, “perhaps the most significant art space in the kingdom at present.” Known for supporting emerging and established contemporary Saudi artists, Athr Gallery will present two of the region’s rising stars at the Armory. From Ahmed Mater, it will show work from  Desert of Pharan , a photographic narrative around the expansion of the Holy City, Mecca; and from Nassir Al Salem, formally trained in architecture and calligraphy, it will debut a stone sculpture whose title translates to, “they will be seen competing in constructing lofty buildings.”

Love was in the air when I spoke to a very enthusiastic Adnan Manjal, who represents Athr, a Saudi gallery which had applied a few years in a row before finally being accepted into the Armory Show as part of the “Presents” forum. He was thrilled to be in the show, and enthusiastic about “expanding Athr’s commercial presence into the U.S.” A very nearly sold out booth spoke well of his first foray into New York.

The contemporary Saudi artist Ahmed Mater will be among the panellists at Manarat discussing photography, documentation and art. Mater will shed light on his own photographic project, Desert of Pharan, in which he records the narrative of Islam’s holiest city.
The series of photographs in Desert of Pharan documents the mass expansion of Mecca – the title was taken from the holy city’s ancient name mentioned in the Old Testament.