Dana Awartani is a rising star of the fledgling Saudi art scene, known for her use of "sacred geometry" -- the use of geometric patterns to symbolize devotion.
The artist sees sacred geometry as a universal language that connects all faiths and cultures. In this installation "Orientalism," the viewer is drawn into a room that appears completely dark from a distance but is spectacularly colorful inside, symbolizing the need to engage closely with other cultures.
JonRstudio
Labor of love —
Awartani hand draws and paints her pieces in her studio in Jeddah, often working 15-hour days on pieces that take weeks to complete.
The artist, 29, has already exhibited at prestigious shows and biennales around the world alongside celebrated artists such as Anish Kapoor and Yoko Ono.
dana awartani
Exotic toolbox —
Awartani sources her materials from around the world, including paper from London and gold from Turkey.
dana awartani
Natural souvenirs —
The artist is also fond of using shells to hold her paint, sometimes sneaking them out of restaurants.
dana awartani
Numbers game —
Numbers are often incorporated into the patterns and codes of sacred geometry, as with this Awartani piece.
dana awartani
Layer cake —
Awartani's paintings involve a process of adding new layers to an outline, typically starting from a central circle drawn with a compass.
Dana Awartani
Next level —
Beyond paintings, the artist aims to explore new forms of geometric art. This complex installation at the Marrakesh Biennale features a dodecahedron within a glass Icosahedron.
dana awartani
Sand castles —
Awartani experiments with a range of materials, in this case weaving her patterns from sand.
Dana Awartani
Building blocks —
Preparing a composition of patterned wood parts for a 3D installation.
Dana Awartani
Piece by piece —
Awartani prepares an epic piece made of ceramic material. Her next major exhibit in India will use textiles for the first time.