Why Artists Make Books

Working in the Saudi art scene since 2011, Fatma Abdulhadi is an artist specialised in silkscreen printing. She has established herself as a leading teacher and artist, currently running the Misk Art Institute silkscreen studio, as well as her own studio practice. Through an array of innovative drawing and silkscreen printing techniques, Abdulhadi documents and tells the stories of people, and conveys their emotions and experiences. She has been developing her own pigments and inks designed to hold and recall memories. She sees her practice as an expression of empathy, curiosity, and empowered by a willingness to see the world with fresh perspectives. Abdulhadi has conducted numerous workshops in various cities, and exhibits regularly in Saudi Arabia and internationally.

Ala Younis is a research-based artist with curatorial, film, and publishing projects. Using objects, scenography, lecture-performance, and printed matter, she often seeks instances where historical and political events collapse and shadow personal, lived experiences. She holds a BSc in Architecture from University of Jordan, and MRes in Visual Cultures from Goldsmiths, University of London. She is co-founder of the publishing initiative Kayfa ta, which researches, publishes, and exhibits on, and through, independent publishing efforts. Younis is Artistic Director of the Academy of the Arts of the World, Cologne; and research scholar, al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art, New York University Abu Dhabi.

Tamaro Kalo’s research-based practice explores regional landscapes and fragmented experiences. She investigates narratives that shape home, displacement, and collective memory through photography, video, sculpture, and performance. Her work is often site-specific, capturing the fragility between lived moments and their recollection.
Kalo has a BA in architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. In 2021, she received the Athr Maan Grant, and was co-commissioned for the Hayy Jameel Facade. Recent exhibitions include Al Riwaq Art Space,
Manama (2024); MMAG Foundation, Amman (2024); TakeOver in Beirut (2023); Cairo Citadel (2023); and Noor Riyadh (2022).

Hayat Osamah is a multidisciplinary artist and has been a self-taught photographer since 2009. Her practice explores self-presentation and manipulation of fabrics. In 2014 she focused on the theme of diversity and started using analogue photography as her main tool of documentation. Osamah worked with international publications such as Vogue, WWD, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, did the first Farfetch Middle East Campaign, and was named artist of the year by GQ Middle East in 2020. Her artistic practice addresses the transience of life and matter, often using biodegradable materials. She exhibited at Noor Riyadh (2023), and was artist-in-residence at Intermix, Riyadh (2023), Masaha residency, Misk Art Institute, Riyadh (2022), and Cortona On the Move, AlUla (2022).