Abdulnasser Gharem

Abdulnasser Gharem, a former lieutenant colonel in the Saudi Arabian army, graduated from the King Abdulaziz Academy before attending The Leader Institute in Riyadh. In 2003 he studied at the influential Al- Meftaha Arts Village in Abha and in 2004 Gharem and the Al- Meftaha artists staged a group exhibition, Shattah, which challenged existing modes of art practice in Saudi Arabia. Since then Gharem has exhibited in Europe, the Gulf and the USA, including at Martin Gropius-Bau, LACMA museum, British Museum, V&A museum and the Venice, Sharjah and Berlin Biennales, whilst concurrently being promoted from 2nd Lieutenant to Lieutenant Colonel in the Saudi Arabian army. He recently made history when his installation Message/Messenger sold for a world record price at auction in Dubai, establishing Gharem as the highest selling living Gulf artist. Gharem donated the proceeds of this sale to Edge of Arabia's campaign to foster art education in his native country. His first monograph ‘Abdulnasser Gharem: Art of Survival’ was published by Booth-Clibborn Editions in London in October 2011. Abdulnasser Gharem is the co founder of Edge of Arabia it was started in the mountains of South Western Saudi Arabia, in March 2003. What began as an unlikely friendship and artistic collaboration is now an internationally recognised platform for dialogue and exchange between the Middle East and western world. As a non-profit social enterprise, Edge of Arabia is committed to reaching new audiences and improving understanding through free exhibitions, publications and public programming. Artist Abdulnasser Gharem moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2013 in an attempt to broaden his professional resources and established Gharem Studio in the process. Due to the lack of proper studios for artists in the city of Riyadh, Gharem Studio began as a working space for Abdulnasser. The space attracted fellow artists, photographers and creative minds, who proved to be the first wave of a new Saudi art initiative.

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