Tarik Majid

Visionary Saudi Arabian artist who revolutionized contemporary Middle Eastern art against cultural constraints.

Tarik Majid (born 1978) emerged as a radical voice in Saudi Arabia's conservative art scene by blending traditional Islamic motifs with provocative modern themes. His 2009 installation Silent Minarets, using recycled oil barrels to critique fossil fuel dependency, sparked nationwide debates about art's role in societal change.

Majid co-founded the Edge of Arabia collective in 2008, organizing clandestine exhibitions that challenged censorship laws. His 2015 solo show in Jeddah featured augmented reality works superimposing feminist poetry over ancient Quranic manuscripts—a bold statement about reinterpretation of religious texts.

In 2020, he established Riyadh's first digital art lab training female coders, directly supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reforms. Majid's TED Talk 'When Sand Dunes Meet Silicon Valley' has garnered 2.3 million views, advocating for tech-integrated Arab Renaissance.

Despite death threats from extremists, Majid continues curating experimental shows at his Nomad Art Space in Al-Ula.