BALQIS ALRASHED
Multidisciplinary Artist | RIYADH - SAUDI ARABIA
www.balqisalrashed.com | info@balqisalrashed.com
Balqis Al Rashed is a Saudi multidisciplinary and performance artist based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Raised in Beirut for 17 years, she graduated from the American University of Beirut with a BFA in Graphic Design. Her diverse body of work, which includes installations, videos, performative spaces, and immersive experiences, often explores the thresholds of dichotomies, drawing deeply from her personal experiences of displacement and cultural identity. Balqis’ practice is marked by a continuous exploration of control, obedience, and existential dissatisfaction with societal norms. Her work engages with the tension between visibility and invisibility, challenging the audience to question their perceptions of power, identity, and cultural narratives.
Balqis’ work is characterized by a curious detachment, subversive docility, and impulsive gestures. She uses her body, the audience, and public space as raw materials, playing on ambiguity and myth-making to uncover overlaps that are otherwise not apparent. Her performances and installations invite viewers to engage with the work on a personal level, prompting them to reflect on their own perceptions and biases.
In the early stages of her career, Balqis’ work was deeply personal, focusing on her relationship with power and societal systems. Living in various cultural contexts, she perceived the inherent flaws within these systems and expressed her dissatisfaction through impulsive, often vandalistic gestures. These acts were aimed at highlighting the constraints imposed by societal norms and her desire to be seen and belong. Her work during this period examined questions of appropriateness and inappropriateness, using the very tools and representations of power to confront it directly.
Over time, Balqis’ approach has evolved from physically embodying disruption to a more analytical exploration of space, myth, and iconography. This shift has allowed her to represent the manifestations of power through more nuanced and considerate gestures. Her current work continues to challenge system, but the gestures are more considerate.
Balqis has participated in several prestigious residencies that have significantly shaped her artistic journey. Notable among these are: March Project Residency 2015 at Sharjah Art Foundation, where she created the performative site-specific installation ‘Once we fell from the sky and landed In Babel’ (2015), examining ideological territories and barriers; Utah Museum of Contemporary Art’s AiR program, where she showcased her work in the ‘Cities of Convictions’ exhibition with the performative installation ‘Cities of Salt’ (2017), exploring cultural and environmental intersections through the metaphor of salt; the Alserkal Residency, where she presented ‘Norms of Life’ (2019), a series of non-consecutive public performances that blurred the lines between celebration and mourning, exploring transitional rituals and communal experiences; and the Delfina Foundation Residency in 2021, where she further immersed herself in an environment conducive to creative growth, expanding her exploration of temporal and spatial dimensions.
In 2016, Balqis gained significant recognition when a video from her series ‘A State of Play’ was featured on Instagram’s official account, amassing over 5 million views. This milestone made her the first Saudi artist to be showcased on the platform, highlighting her ability to engage a global audience. Her artistic influence was further acknowledged when she was selected as a Nike Ambassador, featured in their global campaign ‘Believe in More’ (2017). In 2022, Balqis expanded her horizons at the Berlin Art Institute, delving deeper into the exploration of temporal and spatial dimensions within her work. This experience has enriched her artistic practice, allowing her to continue pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions.
PRESS
Vogue Arabia | June, 2022 | Canvas Magazine | Sept, 2019 | Mille |Mar, 2018 | Matador Network |Mar, 2018 | AZEEMA MAGAZINE | Dec, 2017 | CNN ARABIA |Dec, 2017 | KUED |Sept, 2017 | Jdeed Magazine | Sept, 2017 | Slug Magazine | Aug, 2017 | Salt Lake Tribune | Aug, 2017 | Fad Magazine | Aug, 2017 | Harper's Bazaar Arabia |Jul, 2017 | Zenith | Dec, 2016 | Arab News | Nov, 2016 | Arab News | Oct, 2016 | Khaleejesque | Sep, 2016 | Instagram | Apr 14, 2016 | Mashable | Mar 08, 2016 | Alkhaleej | Nov 02, 2015 | Alhayat Newspaper | Nov 05, 2015 | The Culturist | Oct 09, 2014 | Oasis Magazine | Mar, 10, 2013 | Riyadh News Paper | Dec 09, 2011
Resume
PERFORMANCES
2024 If Something Dies From Love, the Rest Remains, Alula Future Culture Summit, Alula- KSA
2022 ‘Fine lines’ in collaboration with Bilal Allaf, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Riyadh- KSA
2019 Norms of Life, Alserkal Residency, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai - UAE
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Mirqab, Misk Art Institute, Riyadh- KSA
2023 Layali Aldiriyah, Riyadh- KSA
2022 I Know You Are, But What Am I? (De)framing identity and the Body, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, SLC - USA
2021 Shubbak Festival, Image & Movement, London- UK
2020 Sihr.online , Jaffat El Aqlam, Dubai- UAE
2020 Durational Portraits: A Historic Overview of Video Art, Athr Gallery, Jeddah- KSA
2018 Generation ز - Young Arab Artists, ArtX, New York- USA
2018 Not What You Think, Hinterland Gallery, Vienna - Austria
2017 Cities of Convictions, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City - USA
2017 Transition, Menier Gallery, London - UK
2015 March Project, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah - UAE
2011 Collage/ Assemblage, Athr Gallery, Jeddah - KSA
RESIDENCIES
2022 Berlin Art institute X Misk Art Foundation, Berlin - Germany
2021 Delfina Foundation- Summer Cycle, London - UK
2019 Alserkal Residency- Summer Cycle, Dubai - UAE
2017 Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City - USA
2015 March Project, Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah - UAE
EDUCATION
2008 American University of Beirut, Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, Beirut - Lebanon
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2020 Visual Literacy: Mistrusting Images, Juniper Minds, Dubai- UAE
2020 Curating on the Web: Exhibiting Internet-based Art, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
2020 Visual Literacy: Image and Ideology, Juniper Minds, Dubai- UAE
2020 Visual Literacy: The Gaze, Juniper Minds, Dubai- UAE
2019 Hayy Learning: Navigating The Contemporary Art Scene in Saudi, Art Jameel, Jeddah- KSA
2019 Contemporary Art and Collecting in the Middle East and North Africa, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
2019 Socially Engaged Art Projects: Community and Participation, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
2019 Curating Performance Art: From Concept To Practice, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
2018 Creative Forms Art of Art Criticism And Writing, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
2018 History Of Performance Art, Node Center, Berlin- Germany
BIBLIOGRAPHY & CONTRIBUTIONS
2018 Joud: An Ancient Poem For Modern Times, Jeddah - KSA
2018 Daftar Asfar, 1st Daftar. Contributor
2017 Jahanamiya. Issue 4. Contributor
2016 Khambala Show, Filter watan. Contributor
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2017 Nike Ambassador, Nike, Dubai- UAE
