Dr. Eiman Elgibreen Text and conversation
Introduction
The works of “Floating on the Horizon'' are a new art experience, not only in AlSalem’s works but also in the realm
of Saudi art in general. The idea of the exhibition can be summed up in two important things: the first is the artist’s
attempt to provoke the human mind to perceive images that require him to be active in the scene to see and
comprehend, and the second is to test the unlimited possibilities of new and uncommon materials of expression.
These works come from the artist’s influence on broad and in-depth readings in the field of perception, awareness,
and the development of culture.
The idea for the “Floating on the Horizon” began with the artist's interest in the phenomenon of Apophenia and the
controversy surrounding it among scholars. Apophenia in its simple sense is an innate human tendency to find a
logical link between phenomena and things that are not related, in an attempt to give them a new meaning, but in
most cases, it is an imaginary link or system that has no basis in truth. It is noted that the phenomenon of “pareidolia”
particularly affected AlSalem and greatly shaped his experience. Pareidolia is a type of Apophenia that includes
imagining images or sounds due to random stimuli, such as imagining hearing the phone ringing while showering due
to the noise resulting from running water or imagining a group of stars in the shapes of a ladle or an animal or
imagining clouds and clouds in the shape of a face, animal, or an object.
The exhibition is a result of many experiments the artist underwent, in which he visually tested all the ideas and
concepts he read. His experience did not stop only at the limits of thought. It extended to the raw materials and
materials available to him for expression, so he continued to test them until he was pleased with the result. I
witnessed this progress personally over an entire year, in which he worked day and night with enthusiasm that I had
never seen before. Through this year, Alsalem’s experience also underwent many imposed changes. It became a
critical turning point and moment of awareness that moved the artist to a higher level of understanding to convey his
ideas and feelings to the audience. This exhibition is the refinement of this experiment and its most important
philosophical ideas.
Dr. Eiman Elgibreen
Art Historian and Curator of the Saudi Pavilion, 58th Venice Biennale
The idea for the “Floating on the Horizon” began with artist’s interest in the phenomenon of Apophenia and the
controversy surrounding it among scholars. Apophenia in its simple sense is an innate human tendency to find a
logical link between phenomena and things that are not related, in an attempt to give them a new meaning, but in
most cases it is an imaginary link or system that has no basis in truth. It is noted that the phenomenon of “pareidolia”
particularly affected AlSalem and greatly shaped his experience. Pareidolia is a type of Apophenia that includes
imagining images or sounds due to random stimuli, such as imagining hearing the phone ringing while showering due
to the noise resulting from running water, or imagining a group of stars in the shapes of a ladle or an animal, or
imagining clouds and clouds in the shape of a face, animal, or an object.
The importance of this phenomenon lies in helping a person to explore patterns around him, making it easier for him
to draw conclusions and compare them in similar situations in the future. For example, when a person always links
the sound of rustling trees with the movement of predatory animals that are preparing to pounce on their prey, in the
future he will be able to quickly escape when hearing a similar sound in a similar situation. However, a number of
scientists consider Apophenia to be a negative phenomenon that leads people to exaggerate their delusion. For
example, the idea of the “conspiracy theory” - which many people believe in and refuse to accept that some events
are pure coincidence - is one of the negative results of this human tendency to explain everything.
These ideas sparked and provoked the artist to contemplate and observe the familiar scenes in our daily lives to find
active opportunities to experience a state of Apophenia. His first experiments were the imagined images on distorted
television screens, in which he summoned the imaginations of children in front of the television outside broadcast
hours. In his work “Hypnosis,” executed using video technology, Alsalem displays the silhouette of a man swaying
against a distorted background as if he is under the influence of hypnosis, and in his work “The Skull,” the viewer
can, after a while, see the shadow of a human skull represented in the distorted and moving background of the
screen. The artist’s experience moved beyond the grey screens to test this phenomena on colored fields. He
produced his video work “Rainbow”, in which a number of colored rings appear moving in a gradual manner
resembling a slowly flashing circle. After a few minutes of contemplation, one starts to see an after-image of
complementary colors.
Imagined Images: from Dynamic to Static
The idea of the imagined after-image developed from creating fake image shadows on moving backgrounds
to still images. This is by creating new surface material made by the artist himself to cover the surfaces of his
new work and give an illusion of a moving particles. To do this, Alsalem used glittering sand particles that give
a moving luster despite being stationary. This was used in “Shining Desert/ “Night” is black, “Shining
Desert/Dawn” is blue-violet, and “Shining Desert/Day” is golden yellow and left it to the audience imagination
to continue the image. Alsalem also tested this effect on three-dimensional objects to see how it changes. We
see this in works such as “Square Space” and “Satellite” where the surface is no longer flat.
Alsalem’s work in this exhibition is still an experiment with this new material, however his readings in Apophenia led
him to the ideas of scientist Thomas Neigl, in his book “The Point of View from Nowhere;” specifically his article
“What is it like to be a bat?” In this book, Nagel criticized scientists' attempts to study phenomena from an objective,
neutral perspective. For example, scientific studies may provide accurate information about the bat's biological and
behavioural characteristics, but we will not be able to understand its true experience unless they live in his body and
see things from his perspective. The bat is just an example, but what Nagel wanted to convey to the reader is that
people’s point of view affects their view of things and their memories about them. For example, two men may be
similar in all their biological characteristics and we expose them to the same situation, but the way each of them is
affected by this situation differently depending on the their personalities, their inner feeling, previous experiences,
and other factors.
From this standpoint, Alsalem began to realize the impossibility of his visual experience reaching the audience in the
same way he feels it. Therefore, he created the work “The View from Nowhere / natural,” in which he represented a
sculpture of a human head painted with his sand material, except despite the eyes which are colored in a realistic
manner but they cannot be function!, He then produces the work “The View from Nowhere / reflector” which this time
we see the eyes made from a reflective mirror-like material so that the viewer can see himself in the eyes. As if he is
confirming Nagel conclusion on the impossibility of understanding someone’s true experience from an objective
standpoint. The work encourages the audience to integrate with it in order to see things from the perspective of the artist.
Imaginary World Systems
The experiment of Nagel’s ideas continues, but this time Asalem take it further. He produced a number of
works that requires the viewer’s interaction and movement to be completed. In other words, these works are
subject to the viewer and reliant on his viewpoint. We can see this in his work “Deep Portrait” executed using
a special moving effect printing technique. Also, in his work “CCC” which shows overlapping colored rings
that moves when the viewer walk in front of them from one side of the painting to the other. Moreover, Alsalem
deliberately invented an imaginary pattern to name the work, which he derived from three English words:
(circle - color - center), playing with the idea of imaginary patterns that humans create under the influence of
the phenomenon of (Apophenia).
conversation
Personal Information..
(Eiman): When were you born? And where?
(Suliman): I was born in Mecca on 1993/27/02 AD.
(Eiman): What is your university major? What college did you study in?
(Suliman): I specialized in architecture at the Technical College in Jeddah.
(Eiman): When was your first art debut? What work did you show?
(Suliman): I cannot call it an artistic participation, but rather an attempt at an exhibition, which was on the
occasion of Earth Day in 2009. I used traditional rice plates, and the symbol of throwing trash in the designated
places in the products, to point out the problems resulting from food waste and poor handling of waste, but I
believe that the solo show in a thousand valleys in 2020 is the first serious art show.
(Eiman): When did you decide to be an artist? Describe to us the period you went through that made
you make this decision?
(Suliman): I attended many drawing and Arabic calligraphy courses, none of which I completed. I enjoyed
participating in workshops and attending Arabic calligraphy exhibitions and art exhibitions, but none of them
made me want to become an artist until Nasser began contemporary artworks at Athar Gallery, where I saw
the expressive capabilities of art for the first time, or at least I absorbed something of it for the first time, and
I had a feeling that one day I would be able to create something valuable like these works. I then became truly
interested in developing and improving my skills as an artist. But I always felt that there was a barrier between
me and art. I had no awareness of what I would present, and I did not want to repeat others. Despite that, I
always had the belief that art is part of my personality and ideas, so it must stem from them. I turned to reading
philosophy, art, history, and other fields because I believed that educating oneself would contribute to
understanding them and broadening one’s perceptions. I believe that my readings contributed to forming a
deeper understanding of the topics and questions that were on my mind, and began to push me strongly to
express them.
(Eiman): Your first solo exhibition, do you consider it a risky adventure or a deliberate step?
(Suliman): Some people around me considered it a risky adventure, and even galleries refused to host the
exhibition, but for those who believed in my experience, like my brother Nasser in particular, it was motivating
and supportive morally and financially. For me, I have always seen solo shows as important to illustrate the
artist's experience, style, materials and ideas he works with. It is an invitation from the artist to enter his world,
and understand his personality, so I think it is an important step.
(Eiman): What is your main source of inspiration in your work? Reading or looking at other people's art
work? Explain to us the sources that most influenced you (names of books, artists, countries, political
or social events)...
(Suliman): Reading about topics such as cultural history, art, anthropology, memes, language, the work of
other artists, music, animated films, and existence itself are all sources of inspiration for me; When dealing
with the subject of language and philosophy, Philosophical Investigations by Austrian philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein is a philosophical reference for me, and there are many books that brought about a valuable shift
in my way of thinking, such as Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, and The Selfish
Gene by Richard Dawkins. However, I enjoy watching great works of art the most; such as the works of
Damien Hirst. I am also greatly inspired by the urban and natural typography of Mecca, including the towering
mountains, the Mosque of Mecca, and many of the inspiring details in this historical city.
(Eiman): When were you born? And where?
(Suliman): I was born in Mecca on 1993/27/02 AD.
(Eiman): What is your university major? What college did you study in?
(Suliman): I specialized in architecture at the Technical College in Jeddah.
(Eiman): When was your first art debut? What work did you show?
(Suliman): I cannot call it an artistic participation, but rather an attempt at an exhibition, which was on the
occasion of Earth Day in 2009. I used traditional rice plates, and the symbol of throwing trash in the designated
places in the products, to point out the problems resulting from food waste and poor handling of waste, but I
believe that the solo show in a thousand valleys in 2020 is the first serious art show.
(Eiman): When did you decide to be an artist? Describe to us the period you went through that made
you make this decision?
(Suliman): I attended many drawing and Arabic calligraphy courses, none of which I completed. I enjoyed
participating in workshops and attending Arabic calligraphy exhibitions and art exhibitions, but none of them
made me want to become an artist until Nasser began contemporary artworks at Athar Gallery, where I saw
the expressive capabilities of art for the first time, or at least I absorbed something of it for the first time, and
I had a feeling that one day I would be able to create something valuable like these works. I then became truly
interested in developing and improving my skills as an artist. But I always felt that there was a barrier between
me and art. I had no awareness of what I would present, and I did not want to repeat others. Despite that, I
always had the belief that art is part of my personality and ideas, so it must stem from them. I turned to reading
philosophy, art, history, and other fields because I believed that educating oneself would contribute to
understanding them and broadening one’s perceptions. I believe that my readings contributed to forming a
deeper understanding of the topics and questions that were on my mind, and began to push me strongly to
express them.
(Eiman): Your first solo exhibition, do you consider it a risky adventure or a deliberate step?
(Suliman): Some people around me considered it a risky adventure, and even galleries refused to host the
exhibition, but for those who believed in my experience, like my brother Nasser in particular, it was motivating
and supportive morally and financially. For me, I have always seen solo shows as important to illustrate the
artist's experience, style, materials and ideas he works with. It is an invitation from the artist to enter his world,
and understand his personality, so I think it is an important step.
(Eiman): What is your main source of inspiration in your work? Reading or looking at other people's art
work? Explain to us the sources that most influenced you (names of books, artists, countries, political
or social events)...
(Suliman): Reading about topics such as cultural history, art, anthropology, memes, language, the work of
other artists, music, animated films, and existence itself are all sources of inspiration for me; When dealing
with the subject of language and philosophy, Philosophical Investigations by Austrian philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein is a philosophical reference for me, and there are many books that brought about a valuable shift
in my way of thinking, such as Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, and The Selfish
Gene by Richard Dawkins. However, I enjoy watching great works of art the most; such as the works of
Damien Hirst. I am also greatly inspired by the urban and natural typography of Mecca, including the towering
mountains, the Mosque of Mecca, and many of the inspiring details in this historical city.
(Eiman): Do you think that your artistic talent is influenced by some of your parents’ professional practices? Mother's
sewing, father's tent weaving...or was it completely separate from what was happening at home?
(Suliman): Yes, I believe that I was influenced by my mother and siblings in this regard more than I was influenced by my
father, who originally influenced them. They were creative and passionate about their difficult hobbies, such as carpentry,
mechanics, electronics, and Arabic calligraphy. For a child like me, it is very difficult, and very beautiful. Sometimes you feel
helpless because you cannot do what they do, but when they get into trouble and find the solution, that was part of it. It is a
pleasure for them, and an inspiring and motivating act for me. At that time, I did not know how they developed these hobbies.
What affected them? I am the youngest, and all I know is that they were really inclined to do things on their own. I later learned
that they were greatly influenced by my father and mother; My mother was a skilled seamstress, and my father made and sold
tents. He was very creative, and traveled for the sake of his profession! He went to India to obtain tents, and he also took his
goods, which he designs and tailors, to different regions of the Kingdom, such as Al-Qassim, Khaybar, and Mecca. I believe
that this was reflected in my siblings personalities and way of thinking, as they clearly lived through that era. On the other
hand, the influence of my mother was great in many ways. Despite raising ten children, she tried to complete her education
while her tenth son -me- was in primary school. She continued to develop her sewing skills, and managed to turn her sewing
skills into a small source of income to support us in difficult times. The way my mother creates the designs for the pieces she
works on, and the way she collects her materials, then assembles them, and transforms them into luxurious pieces, is
wonderful and inspiring!!. When you look at the pieces of carpets, carpets, sheets, and even the traditional dresses that she
designed and tailored, you will identify a clear artistic style, a talent of turning the simple into luxurious, and the neglected into
sophisticated.
(Eiman): Your father did not live long enough for you to be influenced by him, but your mother, may God bless her, had
a greater influence on you. Describe your mother’s work which influenced you growing up? And her principles of
design which affected you?
(Suliman):My mother, Latifa Alsalem (born 1373 AH/1954 AD), began sewing at the age of seven. She learned this skill from
her mother, Munira Alwasmi, who was also a skilled seamstress. She proudly sewed all her husband and daughters’ clothing.
My grandmother used to tell my mother at that age of seven, that she is now a women of good measures, thus she must mater
sewing. Therefore, my grandmother would give her leftover fabric to practice on with thread and needle before bringing her a
sewing machine. My mother would collect those pieces and turn them into a dress or prayer veil. When my mother got
married, she considered sewing one of her responsibilities as a mother. Therefore, despite her busyness, she believed that
one of her tasks was to repair all of our damaged clothes, with precision that would make them like new, in addition to
continuing to make her new dresses, prayer veils, and sheets when she have time. In the thirty years that I lived with her, I
never saw her tired from work! When my father - may God have mercy on him - lost his health and became ill, my mother
became responsible for making a living. Therefore, sewing became our new source of income. My mother began selling prayer
veils and sheets, and traditional dresses she made. Then, in a creative way, my mother invoked the technique of patchwork
that she had been training in as a child under the care of her mother, so she began making beautiful patchwork sheets from
leftover fabric, as she did not have the luxury of getting rid of the excess, because she needed to take advantage of all the
resources and turn them into useful things that could be sold or used. This was one of the principles on which it was founded,
it is always recycling things, to make other useful things out of them. Then a genius idea came to her mind: to collect the
albums of fabric samples that stores wanted to destroy, and buy them for a small fee. She started asking me to take her to the
“Saroukh Souq” in Jeddah, to visit the fabric stores, so she would negotiate with them to get the right price. When we returns
home, she starts the second phase of the process, which was to remove the covers, pins, and glue from the albums. Then,
she sorts the pieces according to shape and color, and wash them all. Finally, the design phase, which takes her three to
seven days, and sometimes more. She used to determine the size of the tablecloth that she would make, then place the
borders of the tape on the floor of our living room, and then begin dividing this space according to her taste, and in different
ways each time, and then begin to line up the pieces within these spaces, which she sometimes uses as is, or fold them into
triangles or squares instead of rectangles. I cannot imagine that any of us would understand what it means to have a hobby
if it were not for the presence of my mother in our lives.
(Eiman): What you described about your mother’s hobby, which she turned into a profession, is a real
and serious artistic practice. What about the siblings? Did anyone influence you because you were the
youngest among ten?
(Suliman): I was particularly influenced by my brother Nasser. During the period when we lived in my
grandfather’s house in Mecca, I was obsessed with football. Football was all I wanted to do, and I was good
at it, but when I returned home, the two most beautiful rooms were for me were: my mother’s sewing room,
and Nasser’s studio, which contains his exercises in Arabic calligraphy and architecture. I used to spend a lot
of time watching them do what they do best. Having a brother like Nasser is a great blessing. He made life so
much more beautiful for me. Nasser loves art, and always wants to talk about art, Arabic calligraphy,
architecture, etc. His mind revolves around all three of these areas, the latest thing he read, how the artist can
develop, or what works he likes. He talks about all of this without stopping, even if the discussion lasts for
hours. He does not count the time because he enjoys such conversations, which I have always considered
fun, interesting, attractive and exploratory topics.
Nasser was always welcoming and generous. He did not hesitate to accompany me, teach me, and guide me.
Rather, he trusted me as I trusted myself, and he would invite me to discuss what I saw after taking me to art
exhibitions, or to calligraphy lessons, which I loved to accompany him to. Although I was not a calligrapher, I
loved watching beautiful calligraphy, watching students compete and practice, and I enjoyed listening to the
stories of calligraphy and calligraphers that they shared, and I used to take some of those lessons with them.
Everything Nasser does is interesting to me. He is my role model and mentor, and I think he has a lot of positive
influence on my life, including my desire to become an artist.
(Eiman): But your works are independent and very different from Nasser’s works, and this reflects your
artistic maturity and your awareness of the importance of creating your own style. Perhaps there are
other influences that shaped your artistic style in its current form. Do you feel that your local
environment (Mecca) or your original hometown (Qassim) had an impact on your career choices? Or is
it only your culture and knowledge that influences your direction towards art?
(Suliman): I believe that art is born from the artist’s personality, and the artist’s personality is influenced by his
surroundings, environment, society, culture, knowledge, and abilities, so everything you mentioned influenced
me in one way or another.
The State of Being: Between the Light and the Horizon
(Eiman): Why did you use light as a medium in your early works? And why did you abandoned it today?
(Suliman): I think that the topic of “The State of Being” and the area that I was trying to explore required the
capabilities of light as a medium to succeed. For instance, light can help you create a moving a moving image,
and light can spread in space. However, I decided to move away from light to explore the expressive
possibilities of other materials as part of my artistic experience development.
(Eiman): How do you see the future of the “Floating on the Horizon” experience? Do you think it will
continue to dominate your thinking for a period of time and develop more? Or do you feel that it is a
transitional stage that paves the way for a completely different shift in style and thought?
(Suliman): I see it as a valuable shift in itself. Through it, my expressive possibilities expanded, and I
highlighted to the viewer the quality of materials that distinguish my artistic work and style. What I like about
this experience is that I would like to do more beautiful works, even though I have not shown my first product
yet. The presence of works from this experience is rare and you cannot ignore it, so I think it is an opportunity
and a strong foundation for development, continuity, and creating immersive expressions.
(Eiman): What is your biggest dream for your artistic career? Do you care more about becoming known
globally or to communicate deeply with your local audience? Or maybe you aspire to create an art
movement that has its own followers? Tell us about the dream..
(Suliman): When I make artwork, I always imagine that it is directed to the world, not just to those around me.
I believe that art makes life more beautiful, and I believe that humans deserve that beauty. I always aspire to
create art that erases boundaries with the audience, stirs their feelings, and makes them want to return to it.