Born and raised in Kuwait, experimental artist Mohammad Al-Hemd, 40, has a background in engineering and graphic design, which served as his gateway into art.

“Art was intimidating for me in the beginning as I was getting harsh critiques from art teachers throughout my education,” Al-Hemd says. “After breaking my fear by creating non-mainstream designs, I started to create artworks in 2014 as a response to the political events and tension mounting in the region [following the so-called Arab Spring].”

Featured at various regional exhibitions such as Reinterpreting Contemporary in Saudi Arabia (2015) and among the winners of the Arte Laguna Prize 2019/20, one of the world’s most influential competitions for emerging artists, Al-Hemd typically uses installations and different types of media, from wood, metal, mirrors to photography and videography.

The main themes connecting his work are what he perceives to be the social taboos and the injustices of the Arab and Muslim world. He tackles themes such as terrorism, censorship, the Syrian refugee crisis and rape crimes.