In 1979 Ahmed Mater was born in Abha, the capital of ‘Asir Region in Saudi Arabia. Physician turned artist, Ahmed Mater is one of the most significant cultural voices documenting and scrutinizing the realities of contemporary Saudi Arabia. He uses photography, film, and performance to entwine expressive and politically-engaged artistic aims with the scientific objectives of his medical training, blending conceptual art tactics with an investigation into traditional Islamic aesthetics. His recent practice presents an unofficial history of Saudi sociopolitical life within a global context. It is concerned with the representation of traumatic events of collective historical dimensions, and the ways in which films, video, image, performance, and text can document physical and psychological contention.

He has had solo exhibitions at Sharjah Art Foundation, United Arab Emirates (2013); Galleria Continua, San Gimignano, Italy (2017) ; King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia (2018); etc.; his work has been included in group exhibitions at the British Museum, London (2006 and 2012); the Venice Biennale (2009 and 2011) etc.