Abdulaziz Ashour

Abdulaziz Ashour is best known for his collages encrusted with shreds of newspaper and swathes of paint, that often incorporate fragments of CD’s, circuit-boards and wires. Reminiscent of aged and tattered pastings seen alongside city walls and lampposts, Ashour’s imagery resembles archival remains where layer upon layer of hidden messages and handwritten etchings emerge onto the surface. Inspired by the writings of various spiritual thinkers, Ashour has long acknowledged the impact of language on visual culture and like lyrics on a page, the repetition of words gathered from various sources, are characteristic to his work.

Al Ashour held the position as Director of the Arts at the Jeddah Arts and Culture Organisation between 1994-1998. After working for the Ministry of Energy, Ashour became a full-time artist in 2009. He currently lives and works in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.