What topics does From Dream to Reality explore?

mecca, pilgrimage, architecture, faith, urban landscape, saudi arabia, transformation, modernity

Purchase a reproduction of From Dream to Reality - Contemporary Realism

Artwork Description

Workers stand before a hoarding showing the plan for the restoration of the Grand Mosque area. Besides the millions of pilgrims that visit annually, Mecca is home to more than a million inhabitants, making it the third-most populous city in Saudi Arabia. It also has a long history as a site for domestic trade. Here is one of the many billboards in the older city that mask construction sites. Dreams surround this city, a belief that Utopia can be created here. Yet time and again, as with every age of renovation, we live within a reality of drills, demolition, and destruction.

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Artist Biography

introduction

ahmed mater eid al-bassam is a saudi arabian artist and physician, born in 1979 in tabuk, saudi arabia. he is widely recognized as one of the most significant cultural voices documenting and scrutinizing the realities of contemporary saudi arabia.

artistic career

al-bassam's artistic career spans multiple mediums, including photography, calligraphy, painting, installation, performance, and video. his work explores the narratives and aesthetics of islamic culture in an era of rampant globalization, consumerism, and transformation. as a former physician, al-bassam's earlier works are heavily informed by his formal training, with traces of that experience observed in many of his pieces.

notable works and exhibitions

some of al-bassam's notable works include mecca journeys, a series of photographs documenting the hajj pilgrimage, and longing for mecca, an installation exploring the concept of longing and belonging. his work has been exhibited in various museums and galleries, including the brooklyn museum, the centre pompidou, and the tropen museum. for more information on his artworks, visit ArtsDot.com: ahmed mater eid al-bassam | 25 artworks.

awards and collections

al-bassam's artwork is widely collected and can be found in the following selected collections:

the british museum, london, uk
the brooklyn museum, new york, usa
the centre pompidou, paris, france
the nadour collection, dusseldorf, germany
the zayed national museum, abu dhabi, uae

publications and references

for more information on ahmed mater eid al-bassam's biography and artworks, visit ArtsDot.com: ahmed mater eid al-bassam | 25 artworks. his publications include the forthcoming prognosis/saudi arabia, a major monograph on his work. you can also find more information about him on wikipedia: ahmed mater eid al-bassam.

ahmed mater eid al-bassam

1979 - , Saudi Arabia

Quick Facts

Artistic Movement Or Style: Contemporary Art
Artists Or Movements Influenced By This Artist: ['Global Culture']
Artists Who Influenced This Artist: ['Islamic Art']
Date Of Birth: 1979
Full Name: Ahmed Mater Eid Al-Bassam
Nationality: Saudi Arabian
Notable Artworks:
- Mecca Journeys
- Longing for Mecca
- Concrete Lamination
Place Of Birth: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia