Manal AlDowayan (b. 1973, Dhahran) is a leading Saudi artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans photography, sound, sculpture, and participatory installations. Grounded in lived experience, AlDowayan’s work critically navigates themes of collective memory, social injustice, and the representation of women in Saudi Arabia. Her practice explores tensions between tradition and modernity, public and private space, using personal narratives as a lens for broader cultural critique. As the Kingdom undergoes rapid transformation, AlDowayan positions herself as both witness and agent of this evolving metamorphosis. She represented Saudi Arabia at the Venice Biennale in 2024 and has exhibited internationally at institutions including the Guggenheim Museum (New York), British Museum (London), Centre Pompidou (Paris), LACMA (Los Angeles), V&A Museum (London), Mathaf (Doha), and Desert X AlUla. Her work is held in major public collections worldwide and has been featured in biennials and triennials from Venice to Setouchi, Diriyah to Gwangju. A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, she lives and works between London and Dhahran.
