Muhannad Shono’s (b. 1977, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) multidisciplinary practice harnesses the power of narrative to contest personal, collective, and historical truths. He explores the physical and psychological boundaries that have characterized his life, drawing upon childhood memories and his family’s generational forced migrations. His work amplifies the moment when impact, transmission, and change occur, resulting in relics and symbols that belong to an idiosyncratic world that challenges the imagination. Shono originally studied architecture at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Later, he joined an independent publishing house, where he published one of Saudi Arabia’s earliest graphic novels before leaving the Kingdom in 2004. Shono returned to Riyadh in 2015, where he re-joined the Saudi art scene, participating in underground exhibitions and continuing to experiment with narrative forms.

His work is acquired by The British Museum, London, UK; the Art Jameel Foundation, Dubai, UAE; Al-Mansouria Foundation, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; The Green Box Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands; The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra Art Center), Dammam, Riyadh; and the Ministry of Culture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.