Athr Gallery is proud to announce the participation of Ahmed Mater and Nasser Al Salem in the exhibition "Echoes: Islamic Art and Contemporary Artists", Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; Missouri.

Developing an arts scene in one of the most conservative countries on earth never going to be easy. But over the past few years, a small band of artists have scoured Saudi Arabia for a talent… And then take it out to the World.
Perhaps the most significant art space in the kingdom atpresent is the Athr gallery in Jeddah, which has regularlyrepresented the Saudi art scene at Art Dubai. Opened in 2009 by Mohammed Hafiz and Hamza Serafi in a somewhat odd location atthe top of a shopping mall, Athr has nurtured a roster of young artistswho have exhibited in fairs and biennials in Europe and Asia.Hafiz says the kingdom’s art scene has grown up rapidly in recentyears. “If you’d opened a gallery fifteen years ago, people would beasking whether the art goes with the colour of their couch or thecurtains. But now we have a different, more intellectual, audiencewho are not just thinking ‘I don’t think this will go with my rug’.“The first show, we maybe had fifty guests who we personallyrang up to invite. At the last exhibition we had to turn off the lightsto make people leave. Because of the Internet young people are veryaware of the role of art to advance self-knowledge and as a tool fordebate and how we can improve as a society. And Saudi artists arebecoming stars. Some have thousands of followers on Facebook.”

Echoes: Islamic Art and Contemporary Artists," opening at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City Aug. 31 featuring Ahmed Mater

Athr Gallery places itself as an entity beyond being a commercial gallery, but a cultural center that brings together different talents from across the region and globe

The most common and memorable responses are when people are shocked to learn the hidden meaning behind geometry. I get so excited to see people show interest in that aspect of my work because I believe it leads them to view Islamic art not just as a decorative art but also as something that is highly sophisticated and intellectual. I remember there was this one Buddhist American man who I met at the Venice Biennale. He managed to relate my work to his own faith and he saw a lot of similarity between concepts in Islam and Buddhism

Jeddah’s Athr Gallery launched its ”Ramadan Nights” on Tuesday evening with four different exhibitions. One of the main highlights of the event was “Strokes in Dialogue,” a joint exhibition of Arabic and Chinese calligraphy by two renowned calligraphers Wong Dongling and Samir Al-Sayegh.

With 'Strokes in Dialogue' Athr Gallery again positions itself as one of the Gulf’s most progressive and exciting art spaces, searching out combinations of historical and contemporary forms in artistic expression. The exhibition will run from July 24 until September 3, 2013.

Taking its cue from the current Ramadan season, a time of contemplation and spiritual regeneration for Muslims worldwide, ‘Show Of Faith’ offers perspectives, insights and reflections on the essence of faith, both within the precepts and traditions of Islam, and beyond, as a universal source of sanctuary and solace

Opening: Tuesday, 23rd of July, 2013 10.00 PM - 1.00 AM

Athr Gallery is proud to be present three complementary exhibitions of work in the gallery all opening on July 23.
Jewelry from Dubai, furniture and hand crafted objects from Lebanon and fine art from three young, up and coming Saudi Arabian artists will all go on show this summer alongside ‘Strokes in Dialogue’, which takes place in the main gallery.