Manal AlDowayan: The Saudi Artist Bridging Worlds
Born in 1973, Manal AlDowayan is a distinguished Saudi artist showcasing her complete work 'Tree of Guardians' (2014) at the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale. This artwork features suspended gold leaves and encourages women to complete matrilineal family trees, addressing the omission of women's names in genealogies. AlDowayan, raised in a gated Aramco community in Dhahran, pursued her studies at Suffolk University and obtained a Master's degree in London. Her acclaimed pieces include the 'I AM' series (2005) and 'Suspended Together' (2011). In 2015, she participated in a residency at the Rauschenberg Foundation. More recent endeavors involve 'Now You See Me, Now You Don't' (2020) and creating bags for Dior's Lady Art series.
Key facts
- Manal AlDowayan is a Saudi artist born in 1973.
- She is exhibiting at the inaugural Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale.
- Her work 'Tree of Guardians' (2014) is shown complete for the first time.
- The piece involves women filling out matrilineal family trees.
- AlDowayan grew up in a gated Aramco compound in Dhahran.
- She studied at Suffolk University in Boston and later in London.
- Her series 'I AM' (2005) portraits women in various jobs.
- 'Suspended Together' (2011) is in the collections of the National Museum of Qatar and the British Museum.
Entities
Artists
- Manal AlDowayan
- Shirin Neshat
- Laurie Anderson
- Carrie Mae Weems
- Delfina Entrecanales
Institutions
- Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale
- 21,39 Jeddah
- Saudi Aramco
- Suffolk University
- Central Saint Martins
- Slade School of Fine Art
- Delfina Foundation
- Rauschenberg Foundation
- National Museum of Qatar
- British Museum
- Desert X AlUla
- Dior
- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
- Edge of Arabia
- Al Yaum
Locations
- Saudi Arabia
- Dhahran
- Jeddah
- Netherlands
- UK
- Boston
- London
- Bahrain
- Florida
- Ulsan, South Korea
- Ōmachi, Japan
- Dubai