Latest news with #Shono
Arab News
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Muhannad Shono: ‘This work is fragile. It is not here forever'
RIYADH: Saudi contemporary artist Muhannad Shono is the sole representative of the Middle East at this year's Desert X — the site-specific international art exhibition in California's Coachella Valley — which runs until May 11. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Shono's piece, entitled 'What Remains,' consists of 60 long strips of locally-sourced synthetic fabric infused with native sand. 'The fabric strips, orientated to align with the prevailing winds, follow the contours of the ground, fibrillating just above its surface,' a description of the work on the Desert X website reads. 'As the wind direction shifts, the natural process of aeolian transportation that forms dunes is interrupted, causing the fabric to tangle and form chaotic bundles. In this way, the ground itself becomes mutable — a restlessly changing relic or memory.' This isn't the first time Shono has created a large-scale installation in the desert. At Desert X AlUla in 2020, he presented 'The Lost Path,' composed of 65,000 black plastic tubes snaking through the Saudi desert — a work exploring themes of transformation, memory and impermanence. And while 'What Remains' is an entirely separate piece of art, it also delves into those topics, as has much of Shono's work over the past decade. 'I'm first-generation Saudi,' Shono tells Arab News. 'A year after I was born, I was given the nationality. For half of my life, I didn't feel Saudi. I'd say Saudi was an authentic space that had specific motifs and cultural narratives that we were very disconnected from as a family. Why? Because we're immigrants; my father is not Saudi, and my mom is not Saudi. 'But now I think the narrative of what is 'Saudi' is changing,' he continues. 'And it feels like it's part of this correction.' A feeling of not belonging was apparent in Shono's early artistic endeavors. He loved comic books and wanted to create his own because he couldn't find a true representation of himself in them. 'Saudis expect you to produce a figure they can relate to — with Saudi features or skin color — but I didn't think they could relate to me,' he says. 'I was more referencing myself, and what I thought 'home' looked like, or the 'hero' looked like, so there was a disconnect there.' That disconnect continues to manifest in his work. 'You can see it in Desert X and in a lot of my other projects tapping into materiality. I realized I couldn't really fully connect with the materiality of the narrative of being Saudi. 'An interesting psychological thing that I haven't really come to grips with is that I'm more comfortable doing work in Saudi because I'm responding to this natural source material,' he continues. 'I'm disrupting — I'm offering divergence, narratives that can spill out from that experience of the work. I'm invested in the narrative of what's happening (in Saudi). I think it's the closest I've felt to being 'at home.' Something that I was missing in the beginning was being connected to the narrative of the place, because if you engage with that narrative, you can call it home. 'When I go to California, I miss the landscape (of Saudi) that I'm contrasting. In California, it's not juxtaposed against the experience of growing up. I'm still figuring out how to take these feelings and be able to show work overseas, because my backdrop is missing — the backdrop of Saudi.' His early interest in comic books, he says, was partly down to 'being able to create the world, the space, the setting for the story.' That was also a reason he decided to study architecture at university. 'I felt like it was creative problem solving,' he says. 'A lot of my projects that I did in college were in 'world making.' My graduation project ended up being the creation of a whole city, and how it would grow on a random landscape. I got kind of caught up in the urban planning of it — the streets, and the rivers flowing through it. I never really got to the architectural part of designing a building.' But that willingness to explore ideas in ways others might not has made Shono one of the Kingdom's most compelling contemporary artists. 'I've created my own kind of material palette, or language, or library, that I use,' he says. In his current work, 'The land is holding the narrative on this adventure within the seemingly barren landscape,' he explains. 'These land fabrics become this idea of being able to roll up, carry and unroll ideas of belonging: What is home? How do we carry home?' Shono and the team who helped him install 'What Remains' had to 'constantly adapt expectations' based on understanding the land and the environmental conditions, he says. It took them around a month, working seven or eight hours a day, to put it in place — flattening, aligning, and flipping fabric under Shono's direction. His vision was clear, but he also allowed instinct to guide him. 'This work is fragile,' he says. 'It's an expression that is not here forever… that will change. And my ideas will change, the way I think about stories and concepts through my work. It's important to change.' With 'What Remains,' he is offering that same opportunity to viewers. He wonders: 'What portals will you pass through, through this unrolling of the earth in front of you?' And change is a vital part of the work itself. 'They're always different,' Shono says of the fabric strips. 'At some points, they're opaque and earth-like — almost like a rock. But when the wind picks up, they become lightweight — like sails — and they animate and come to life. And when the light hits as they move through the sky, they reveal their translucency and there's this projection of the trees and bushes and nature that they're almost wrapped around or sailing past.' Although the 'What Remains' seen by Desert X visitors on any particular day will not be the same 'What Remains' seen by visitors on any other day, or even any other hour, one part of it, at least, is constant. 'The work is a self-portrait,' Shono says. 'Always.'
Arab News
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale
JEDDAH: 'The role of contemporary (art) is to act as a link between the past, our present and this imagining of our future,' says Muhannad Shono, contemporary art curator at the second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, which opened in January and runs through May. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Shono's section of the biennale features 30 new commissions from local and international artists 'giving shape to the theme,' which this year is 'And All That is in Between' — drawn from a Qur'anic verse: 'To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between' — guiding artists and audiences to reflect on the spaces that exist between known boundaries, whether physical, spiritual, or conceptual. Set across multiple indoor galleries and integrated into outdoor spaces, the contemporary works are woven seamlessly into the Biennale's landscape alongside ancient artifacts. One striking example is in the AlMidhallah section, where Japanese artist Takashi Kuribayashi's installation, 'Barrels,' features a formation of oil barrels from which a tree emerges, with reflective mirrors blurring the line between man-made and natural elements. Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi's 'Zubaydah Trail (Between Sacred Cities),' meanwhile, is an immersive space where visitors are invited to kick off their shoes and sit and reflect between the Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah biennale pavilions. Deeply saturated, vibrant strips of color make the space feel both playful and serious at once. Each color and shape carries symbolic meaning — the zig-zag pattern represents the streaming water of Makkah's Zamzam well, while the green hue evokes the peacefulness of Madinah. There are many other beautiful works, such as Saudi artist Bilal Allaf's 'What I Heard in the Valley,' which draws inspiration from Sa'i, the ritual walk performed by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah. 'The overall theme of the biennale is interpreted across five galleries and, of course, across the contemporary interpretations as well,' says the biennale's artistic director Abdul Rahman Azzam. Contemporary art here serves as a bridge, as Shono suggested, linking the past, present, and possible futures. AlBidaya, which translates to 'the beginning,' is one of the galleries where this concept comes to life, exploring the emotional connections between objects and ideas. 'In the beginning, we were kind of focusing on the heavens and the earth. But then we realized that the true power and potential of this biennale is 'all that is in between,'' Shono tells Arab News. 'This idea of the inclusive, the expansive, the layered, the transformative space that is liminal, that is not interested in its edges, it's not focused on the binary of options of right and wrong and light and dark and good and evil. It is more interested in that new space that we are exploring.' Shono was a featured artist at the first Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023. His role this time is very different, but it's an opportunity he embraced wholeheartedly. 'I responded yes immediately and I threw myself into the work,' he says. 'It was a shift in priorities, it was a shift in what I thought my year was going to look like, and it was completely kind of throwing yourself into the process, into motion. 'The most surprising part about preparing was how natural it felt. (I wanted to make sure) that I went through this with a smile, and because I experienced the last edition, I knew what it was going to end up feeling like. So it wasn't an attempt to top anything or compete with anything but more to do it honestly and naturally, as I would do my own work.' What was especially important to him as a curator was working with younger Saudi artists and emerging voices. 'The word 'change' is used a lot here in Saudi and the Biennale really embodies that, bringing in the past — which was very rigid… did not want to be negotiated with, did not want to change its narrative or the parameters of its definitions and space — and bringing contemporary thoughts embodied in contemporary art practices, whose roles are to question, think laterally, reimagine, reinterpret,' he says. 'It's a big testimony to what the country's going through. And so when I was invited, I really wanted to do it — this speaks to my work and I wanted to extend that into the role of curation.' Many of the featured artists were present at the opening, engaging with visitors. '(Art) is not just about showing things; it's about experiencing things, exchanging things. It responds to your presence. It reacts to you,' says Shono. He is grateful to see so many visitors eager to engage with Saudi Arabia's art scene. The experience, he believes, speaks for itself. 'Every visit, every person who takes that leap of faith — beyond the stereotypes — is enacting change, is experiencing something that can't be reversed because you're really coming in contact with the truth, with people, their lives, their generosity, their authenticity,' he says. While he is curating the spaces, he does not want to curate the impressions. 'I think most of the people are coming here and seeing for themselves what is going on in this country,' he says. 'I grew up here in Saudi, so to see a country go through this very rooted experiment of social change… it's important for it to succeed not only for the sake of this country, but for the entire region.'
Leaders
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Leaders
Saudi Artist Muhannad Shono to Illuminate Desert X 2025
Saudi artist Muhannad Shono will showcase his innovative vision at Desert X 2025 in California's Coachella Valley from March 8 to May 11. The Desert Biennial selected Shono among artists from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East for this renowned exhibition. His participation underscores Saudi Arabia's rising influence in global contemporary art. Artists Explore Identity Through Desert Landscapes Shono's installation, What Remains, merges identity and environment using fabric strips infused with Coachella Valley sand. Wind dynamically reshapes the work, mirroring desert dunes' fluidity. This interplay highlights nature's impermanence and humanity's evolving footprint. Curators Neville Wakefield and Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas praised the piece for bridging cultural narratives with ecological awareness. 'Desert X 2025 challenges myths of untouched wilderness,' Wakefield stated. Artists now confront climate realities, blending time, light, and space into sustainable dialogues. Shono's work aligns with themes of temporality, urging creative solutions for imperiled ecosystems. Global Artists Unite for Sustainability The lineup includes Sanford Biggers (USA), Jose Davila (Mexico), and Kapwani Kiwanga (Canada), among others. Each artist reimagines desertscapes through site-specific installations. Saudi Arabia's inclusion reflects Desert X's commitment to diverse perspectives. Based in Riyadh, Shono gained acclaim for large-scale, material-driven works exploring memory and transformation. His Desert X debut follows exhibitions at Venice Biennale and Diriyah Biennale Foundation. Cultural leaders hail his selection as a milestone for Saudi creative exports. Event Details and Cultural Impact Produced by The Desert Biennial, the free exhibition attracts global audiences. Visitors can experience Shono's work near Palm Springs, a hub for art and sustainability debates. Follow Desert X social channels for updates. Desert X 2025 amplifies urgent climate conversations through art. Shono's participation elevates Saudi Arabia's role in global cultural diplomacy, fostering cross-border dialogue on environmental stewardship. Short link :
The National
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
How the Islamic Arts Biennale is broadening the definition of traditional art through its contemporary works
Impeccable craftsmanship and numerical attention to detail have long been hallmarks of historical Islamic art, from the calligraphy and border designs on the sacred pages of the Quran to the geometric and floral patterns found on the carpets, lamps and architecture of the region. Often, these aspects sought to reflect upon the beauty of divine creations, namely the natural world and its seemingly perfect interconnectedness. Many of the contemporary artists showcasing works at the 2025 Islamic Arts Biennale also draw inspiration and subject matter from the natural world – however, in a very different way. The biennale's contemporary interventions are featured in its indoor and outdoor spaces, including the galleries of AlMadar and AlBidaya and the sprawling AlMidhallah, situated under the canopy of the Western Hajj Terminal, which features site-specific commissions. 'All these are part of a contemporary intervention into the theme And All That Is In Between,' says Saudi artist Muhannad Shono, who is the curator of contemporary art at the biennale. "Contemporary art becomes a link between our historical past objects and the narratives they embody. That link is of the now, but it must have an eye on imagining the future. If we lose sight of our contemporary creative practice today, we end up forgetting the past, and we have no future.' Shono points out that objects and artworks we now deem historical were once contemporary. They used the technology and materials available at the time, depending on their location and access, and responded to novel ideas of the era. As such, a trajectory is concisely drawn between the historic objects and the contemporary works at the biennale. It is most noticeable, perhaps, in the proximity of the inner spaces, as artefacts are juxtaposed with works by Ahmed Mater, Asif Khan and Hayat Osamah, to name a few. The AlMidhallah area, however, is where most of the commissioned pieces are being exhibited, especially those that challenge traditional conceptions of Islamic art. In Watering the distant, deserting the near, Bahraini-American artist Nasser AlZayani presents an installation that honours Ain Adhari, a natural spring in Bahrain that has dried up as a result of climate change and human exploitation. It is a fate that has befallen several springs in the region. The installation, comprised of thick panels of sand, is engraved with the inscription of a 1970 poem by Ali Abdulla Khalifa named Adhari. The poem commemorates the spring, grieving its fate while reflecting on social imbalances. Watering the distant, deserting the near will slowly erode at the site. The poem it bears will gradually become illegible, making a thought-provoking statement about memory and the loss of cultural heritage. Fatima Abdulhadi, meanwhile, explores the significance of the basil plant in domestic and religious settings in I Wish You in Heaven. The Saudi artist took cues from a statement her mother often made about the smell of basil being the scent of paradise. The plant is found in several public spaces across Saudi Arabia, and is often used to mark happy occasions, as well as to mourn the deceased. The installation comprises a walkway abreast with basil plants and framed with a series of doorways of suspended meshes. As visitors walk through to the other side, they are enveloped in the scent of the plant, as well as its shadows that are cast upon the mesh. Lebanese artist Tamara Kalo, who works between Riyadh and Beirut, is showcasing a very different style of work, one that pays homage to the Islamic Golden Age of scientific achievement as much as it does to the Quran. The Optics of a Rising Sun is a reimagining of the camera obscura (Latin for dark chamber) conceived by the medical Arab mathematician Ibn al-Haytham. The copper sculpture invites viewers to stand in its middle and view their surroundings through an inverted perspective. The work pays tribute to Ibn al-Haytham's discovery that human vision is the result of light entering the eye and then being processed by the brain. Its use of copper, meanwhile, is an homage to the crafts of the Abbasid Caliphate. The work also draws from a verse in the Nur chapter of Quran, which describes Allah's light as coming from an olive tree that is situated neither east nor west. Iqra Tanveer and Ehsan Ul Haq drew inspiration from a different chapter of the Quran for their installation. The Pakistani artists, who work between Lahore and Amsterdam, turned to a parable from chapter Al-Kahf, which tells the story of a group of people who withdraw into a cave and are put in a state of sleep, waking up many years later to the dawn of a new age. Sleepers of the Cave explores this tradition from sleep to wakefulness. Abstract sculptural figures around the site give the impression of figures stretching out from their years-long slumber. Similar to AlZayani's work, they are constructed from materials that will disintegrate – perhaps underscoring the dire realities of climate change that are impending. The installation in the middle strikes a more hopeful note, however, featuring a panel of rippling water that brings to mind the original parable's message of rejuvenation. Asim Waqif's Min Rukam is perhaps the largest of the works in the outdoor area of the terminal. An edifice constructed from criss-crossed and lined bamboo sticks that were harvested from Assam, India, the installation uses traditional building techniques to create parametric forms. Viewers are invited to walk within the structure, feeling the bamboo bend under their steps and be enveloped by the sounds of creaking amplified by speakers. The work at once draws a connection between the durability of the building technique and the fragility of the craft and materials it uses. Min Rukam makes a statement about the fate of traditional crafts while simultaneously reflecting upon notions of sustainable architecture practices and questioning the number of opportunities given to artisans. Each of the commissioned works under AlMidhalla offers a new way of thinking about Islamic art in a contemporary setting, and how faith can be a means of comprehending pressing environmental and social issues. 'I wanted artists who were present, who were ready to engage, to be responsive to the now, to this transformative moment we're in,' Shono says. 'There are emerging artists who remind me of my younger self and established artists whose tenacity and faith in their imagination has taken them far. There is very much an urgency of being present, being engaged, and giving shape to the in-between – objects, timelines and ideas. All help define this expansive, inclusive space that has no edges.'
