Although a doctor of medicine and not the arts, Dr. Ahlam Alshedokhi has always had an interest in the humanities. Looking at the world through an analytical eye and with a love of colors, she began to see the power of expression through painting. Her artistic journey started in 2004, working with oil and acrylic, and she eventually contributed works to several local exhibitions in her home city of Riyadh before expanding to other art hubs in the region.
Society and the self are common sources of inspiration for Alshedokhi, with the exploration of the individual versus the collective identity a core focus of her art. Her style features an unexpected combination of realism and the abstract, with an overarching minimalistic approach to both.
With a firm belief in the ability of art to convey a message; the goal of her work is to create pieces that speak to and engage with the audience.
“As we grow older we lose touch with the center of imagination in our brains and with our creativity, becoming stuck in the limits of our routine lives and forgetting the wilderness beyond,” she said. “Art brings the magic back, the magic of imagination that allows us to express the vast range of emotions which does not always fit our limitations — art opens our minds and our hearts.”
