Further Info
Neon in the dunes: the rebellious Gulf Futurism of Sophia Al-Maria
Article written by Joan Grandjean and published in the Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions (AWARE)
“Neon in the Dunes: The Rebellious Gulf Futurism of Sophia Al-Maria” traces the evolution of this critical aesthetic from its experimental beginnings in 2008 to its current status as an influential artistic movement and tool for social critique.
Joan Grandjean’s article reveals how Al-Maria’s concept emerged as a critique of rapid urbanization and hyper-capitalism in Gulf societies, not a celebration of development. From her experimental 2008 publication The Gaze of Sci-Fi Wahabi to her crucial 2012 collaboration with Fatima Al Qadiri that formalized the movement’s definition, Al-Maria has continuously navigated the tension between artistic vision and media appropriation.
This article contextualizes how Gulf Futurism has evolved from personal experimentation into a rallying point for a new generation of artists confronting systems they oppose. A must-read for anyone interested in contemporary art from the Gulf region, speculative aesthetics, and how artistic phenomenon develop in our globalized art world.
