Illumination X-Ray (Diptych)

Born in Tabuk in 1979, a year of significant societal shifts in his region, Ahmed Mater pursued medical studies while honing his artistic skills at Al-Meftaha Arts Village. It was there that Mater developed his intuitive approach to art which drew from his medical background and his education rooted in religious thought. Later, he transitioned to more conceptual art, producing some of the most recognisable artworks of the Saudi art scene and becoming one of the most prominent contemporary artists of the Arab world. Adopting a multitude of media - painting, sculpture, photography, installation, and video - that demonstrate exceptional innovation, Mater has produced an extensive body of work over more than two decades. His oeuvre, which includes celebrated series such as Desert of Pharan, Magnetism and Evolution of Man, has associated Mater with his country and the symbolism of its sacred cities, finding resonance with audiences both locally and internationally.

In Illumination X-Ray (Diptych), Mater weaves together past and present by merging traditional Islamic art with the advancements of modern medicine and thus uniting two realms often seen as incompatible: faith and science.
Drawing from the rich heritage of the Islamic arts of the book—particularly Qur’anic manuscripts adorned with intricate illuminated borders, chapter titles, and verse markers—Mater follows a meticulous artistic process that utilises materials traditionally used on these pages, such as tea, pomegranate, and alum powder. Although typically a small scale and intimate art form, Mater expands the scale of his illuminated page and creates a different sense of intimacy by incorporating human X-rays. With the skeletal image suggesting an elemental form of humanity, the accompanying Quranic verses, magical formulas, numbers and letters are derived from talismanic shirts of the Ottoman period, which were intended to protect the wearer from enemies and illnesses. In Mater’s composition, they maintain their powerful apotropaic intent and now serve to safeguard the seemingly frail human X-Ray.

Mater's work is part of SAUDI NOW!, a carefully selected group of works by Saudi artists spanning over four decades. The group traces the unique history of the Kingdom’s artistic evolution; from the development of a modernist language deeply enmeshed in the country’s cultural heritage, to innovative contemporary works that challenge perceptions of what Saudi art is and can be. The selection features work by visionary modernists Abdul Halim Radwi and Mohammed Al Saleem and showcase their lasting legacy on today’s leading contemporary artists including Ahmed Mater, Manal Al Dowayan, Ayman Yossri Daydban and Abdulnasser Gharem. SAUDI NOW! also highlights the new generation of Saudi artistic voices such as Moath Alofi, Nasser Al Salem and Hmood Al Attawi who are based in Riyadh’s creative hub, the JAX district. Through their innovative multimedia practices, they are reshaping artistic conventions and expanding the possibilities of traditional media.