Born in 1979, Mater grew up in a rural community in the mountainous Aseer region of Saudi Arabia. Aged 18, he moved to the regional capital and became a founding member of the influential Al-Miftaha Arts Village, while simultaneously studying medicine in the local hospital. In 2003 he co-founded the Edge of Arabia project which supports Saudi artists in reaching international audiences and in 2005 was included in the landmark Word into Art exhibition at the British Museum. In 2010, his work was acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and he had his first major solo show at the Vinyl Factory in London. Mater’s artistic practice is informed by his education and life as a medical doctor, as well as by his traditional upbringing in south-western Saudi Arabia. His work, which encompasses photography, calligraphy, painting, installation, performance and video, explores the narratives and aesthetics of Islamic culture in an era of globalisation, consumerism and dramatic flux. A monograph on Ahmed Mater’s life and work was published internationally by Booth-Clibborn Editions in 2010.