ATHR Gallery has organised Nafs, a solo exhibition by Saudi artist Lulua Alyahya. Through playful yet contemplative paintings, Alyahya distorts familiar cultural imagery to create space for introspection and a dynamic dialogue between personal identity and collective experience. The exhibition will be open to the public until 26 May 2025.
The title Nafs (“self” in Arabic) reflects the layered, often elusive nature of identity. In the exhibited body of work, the artist’s perspective encounters the viewer’s gaze, sparking a quiet irony and an inquisitive openness. Familiar characters and cultural symbols are gently subverted, reimagined through Alyahya’s lens in an intimate visual confession: what is known but seldom spoken, what is seen yet rarely named. The art pieces are simultaneously light-hearted and poignant, encouraging a deeper look — outward and inward.
About the artist
Lulua Alyahya (b. 1998, Washington D.C., USA) resides in the Kingdom of Bahrain. She obtained a BFA from the Slade School of Fine Art (London, UK) in 2020 and an MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London in 2024.
Alyahya’s artworks are characterised by their sparse composition and disjointed subjects, offering strange yet resonant takes on culturally significant archetypes. Her figures, often imbued with irony, candour, and stillness, are positioned against minimal, undefined backdrops.
She has participated in some exhibitions, which include Aftershock (Studio Chapple, London, 2024); Roundabout (ATHR Gallery, Jeddah, KSA, 2021); and SpaceshipDungeonZoo (Alvaro Barrington’s Studios, London, 2019), to name a few. The artist has received notable accolades such as the Cass Art Painting Prize (2020) and the Full Merit Scholarship from the Saudi Ministry of Education (2017).
About the gallery
Established in 2009, ATHR is a contemporary art gallery based in Jeddah that supports and amplifies the voices of regional artists. Through a programme of exhibitions, talks, special projects, publications, residencies, commissions, international collaborations, and participation in art fairs, ATHR fosters artistic expression and cultural exchange.
From the outset, ATHR has played a vital role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s contemporary art landscape. In a context where public art institutions, museums, and art schools have been limited, the gallery has become a space for experimentation and dialogue. Nurturing a sustainable and globally engaged art ecosystem, ATHR continues to bridge local creativity with international perspectives.
To learn more about Nafs, please go to the official web page of the exhibition.
In addition, you might be interested in viewing Messages From the Road by Ashraf Abdullah.
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