Durational Portrait: A Brief Overview of Video Art in Saudi Arabia: ATHR Gallery - Jeddah
Past exhibition
Overview
"“New artistic mediums are rare, and by any measure, video ranks among the defining inventions of any kind in the 20th century. Once relegated to alternative spaces because some didn’t believe it could even be called art, video is now seen in museums and galleries across the world and counts as one of the major mediums of our time.” And that is certainly true in the case of Saudi Arabia, where video art is the most widespread medium and plays a critical role in shaping contemporary artistic practices. The lens, screen and its adjunct technological infiltrations, leave us with a set of subjects that speak to an uncharted continuum of histories. Durational Portrait addresses these subjects in Saudi society by following a historic timeline in four movements; Beginnings (1993, 97, 99), Identity (2000-2010), Connection (2011-2015) and Recovery (2016-2020).
As the fastest medium of consumption, the moving image played a main role in shaping society’s beliefs and behaviors. The works in the show illustrate how artists apply video to reflect, deflect and circumvent a timeline of social, technological and global developments. The works prompt us to consider how society could be influenced, even changed, by the very medium it consumes."
As the fastest medium of consumption, the moving image played a main role in shaping society’s beliefs and behaviors. The works in the show illustrate how artists apply video to reflect, deflect and circumvent a timeline of social, technological and global developments. The works prompt us to consider how society could be influenced, even changed, by the very medium it consumes."
Curators:Tara Aldughaither and Afia Bin Taleb