What Lies Behind the Sun 2019

Zahrah Al-Ghamdi created this untitled circular artwork using natural materials found in Saudi Arabia, where she lives and works. It prompts us to consider the relationship between art, culture, and environment. Al-Ghamdi is part of a generation of artists whose work reflects the complexities of Saudi Arabia's rapid modernization and its negotiation of tradition and change. The use of natural materials evokes a connection to the land and to traditional crafts, perhaps commenting on the environmental impact of modernization, and exploring themes of identity and belonging in a rapidly changing society. To truly understand it, we might research the history of art education in Saudi Arabia, the development of its contemporary art scene, and the changing role of women in Saudi society. In this way, the artwork opens onto wider questions about the negotiation of cultural identity.