Meet visual artist from Saudi Arabia, Dana Awartani.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a Palestinian/Saudi artist that is currently based in Jeddah, I moved back here a few years ago after studying and living in London for 7 years. I am passionate about my work and I try to revive and reinvent traditional forms of art-making, that is in threat of dying out, through collaborating with craftsmen across the world and giving this aesthetic language a place in the contemporary art world. I love to travel and my work has allowed me to go all over the world and learn about new cultures and people which allows me to constantly grow as a human being.

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

Living here does have its challenges of course, which are slowly changing as the country is opening up and we are seeing a huge shift in such a short time. But overall life in Saudi is comfortable, quiet and very family orientated.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Challenging, invigorating and supportive.

How did you start your career in art?

Well, this is quite an interesting story to tell and I have my mother and Mrs. Owen, my high school art teacher to thank for this. I remember when I was quite young, around 13, my mom had to come to school for a parent-teacher meeting and she meets Mrs. Owen who told her that I had a gift for art and that she should think about sending me to Central Saint Martins in London when I am older. So it was really at that moment these two women collectively decided that I should be an artist and where I should study way before I even knew this is what I wanted to do. So forward 20 years on, I did end up studying in that exact university and my mom even guided me into which university I should go to for my Master’s degree thereafter.

I remember when I was quite young, around 13, my mom had to come to school for a parent-teacher meeting and she meets Mrs. Owen who told her that I had a gift for art and that she should think about sending me to Central Saint Martins in London when I am older. So it was really at that moment these two women collectively decided that I should be an artist and where I should study way before I even knew this is what I wanted to do.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

I really believe in the power of the visual arts as a medium to educate, break barriers and open up peoples perception of the Middle East. In this day and age, there is a lot of fear and hatred towards Arabs and Muslims and I believe in using art to break down these negative stereotypes and encourage a cross-cultural dialogue between people.

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

Without a doubt, it would be Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. Unfortunately, she just passed away a few weeks ago but she has always been a role model for me. She has really dedicated her whole practice to working with Iranian cut glass which is a traditional craft commonly used in architecture and has managed to elevate it to a contemporary medium that has found its place in the art world. She is also deeply inspired by sacred geometry and Sufi philosophy which are also core elements in my own work.

How would you describe the women around you?

Strong and independent for sure! The thing I love the most about my family is that we are so female dominated. My cousins and I make up 9 women and there are just 2 boys and we are all very outspoken and free-spirited. They are all successful in their own right and are very career driven and I think it’s something we adopted from our mothers. My mom also worked throughout her life and she just retired from her job and within a few months she has already opened up her own company, and this quality about her has really instilled the value and importance of hard work in me. I love the women around me, they are my support system, role models and we constantly lift each other up to be the best we can.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

Unfortunately, there were none. As I mentioned earlier there was really no such thing as a thriving art scene in Saudi till recently, even though there were a handful of artists around while I was growing up I was never really exposed or aware of them. It was really hard 10 or 20 years ago to be an artist here, there weren’t even any galleries then to support artists.

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

I just want to say to them that it is possible to do what you love and have a successful career through being an artist, people’s perceptions are changing and you can impact and change society through your art if you put in the work and dedication.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

Yes, actually a big problem I do see that happens frequently is women in Saudi who are interested in being artists seem to end up studying architecture or design because its believed to be a safe way to guarantee a career path. I just want to say to them that it is possible to do what you love and have a successful career through being an artist, people’s perceptions are changing and you can impact and change society through your art if you put in the work and dedication. Its hard work but oh so worth it to live a life where you get to do what you love every single day!

Photos courtesy of Dana Awartani.