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Saeed GAMHAWI
The Silent Legacy…
Riyadh, 21st May, 2026
How do memories travel across generations and places ? Between Light and Darkness, when a simple color give the tone of the artwork and its direction !
Come on in_
In the latest moments of the Diriyah Biennale, on a balmy evening, we enter the C09 Studio… Saeed GAMHAWI’s Raseef Studio !
The artist isn’t there, but his works welcome you — raw and authentic. Silence reigns, and only one employee is there, hard at work.
Once we finally meet Saeed, we are delighted to accept a cup of black tea, ready to listen, with admiration, to the stories behind his works.
Invisible and Indirect Architectures of Oneself_
« Tradition »
My Mother’s Rug masterfully embodies the fusion of tradition and family in his art. The rug was given to his mother as a dowry. It is a poignant gesture, symbolically representing a religious tradition and a family home. To enrich this immersive experience, traditional music played during the wedding – just as he remembered it – has been added !
« Family »
In Saeed’s artworks, family is used as a structure rather than a subject, through the traces of generations : past & future. This absence of individuals remains palpably present, transforming into a collective memory rather than an intimate portrait !
A Daughter’s Dreams turned into Reality_
As we listen closely, we sense a sensitivity to themes such as family, traditions, education and environment — themes he implicitly conveys through his artistic world.
It’s curious to wonder what’s hidden behind this array of resistors at the entrance of the studio… Saeed explains that his inspiration comes from his daughter, who dreamed of seeing snow. He naturally granted her wish and then used his artwork to explore the issue of climate change and what is causing it…
LIGHT-DARK Dichotomy, between Revelation & Memory_
« I use ICE and CHARCOAL because life is a technical malfunction »
Saeed GAMHAWI
We find this dichotomy in multiple artworks. We mentioned previously the ice in TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION but his latest exhibition, entitled TEMPORARY SURVIVAL, explores emptiness and depth where :
Darkness conceals – Light reveals
A duality that reminds us that all memory is partial and that some things remains in the shadows while others gradually emerge towards the light.
ALofA’s insights_
It is possible to read Saeed’s artworks through different layers, Environment – Tradition – Family – Darkness – Light with two artistic interpretations : coming from the outside toward the inside or from the inside toward the outside !
Identity emerges where memory, places and light intersect.. Light reveals a moment or a part of what already exists and become visible before plunging back into uncertainty. A contrario, Darkness is considered as a space of preservation where shadow protects its depth and emptiness.
Sources (pictures) : Saeed Gamhawi Instagram – Riyadh Art – Personal pictures