Draft:Arif Alnomay
Arif Alnomay
[edit]Arif Alnomay (born 1970, Ibb, Yemen) is a Yemeni artist and photographer whose work explores memory, identity, and social transformation through documentary and conceptual photography. He is recognized for his powerful visual narratives that reflect Yemen’s cultural heritage and contemporary realities.
Early Life and Education
[edit]Alnomay began formal education at the age of twelve, following the opening of the first school in his rural region of Yemen. In 1989, he moved to Abha, Saudi Arabia, where he began working in his grandfather’s photography studio. There, he learned analog photography techniques, including darkroom printing and hand-processing film, which became foundational to his artistic practice.[1]
Artistic Career
[edit]In the early 2000s, Alnomay became part of a creative community in Abha that included Saudi artists such as Ahmed Mater. He collaborated with Al-Meftaha Arts Village, where he recognized the potential of photography as a contemporary art form and a tool for cultural dialogue.
His work combines documentary photography with conceptual exploration, often focusing on Yemen’s fading collective memory and the effects of war and displacement. He utilizes photography, installation, and augmented reality to examine historical archives, loss, and the visual symbolism of identity.
Selected Exhibitions
[edit]- On Echoes of Invisible Hearts, Berlin, Germany (2018) – organized by the Foundation for the Arts of Yemen (Dawn Arts).
- An Eye on the Arab World, Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France (2018).
- On Echoes of Invisible Hearts, Beirut, Lebanon (2019).
- Shibh Tabe’iy (Semi-Natural), Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Eastern Province, 2023).[2]
- Yemeni Artists Exhibition, Besançon, France (2022).[3]
Awards
[edit]In 2017, Alnomay received the Photography LIVE Award in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, recognizing his contributions to contemporary Arab photography.[4]
Artistic Style
[edit]Alnomay’s practice blends analog and digital photography, often overlaying traditional Yemeni motifs with experimental visuals. His recent projects incorporate augmented reality to create interactive experiences that reflect on identity, heritage, and the fragmented history of Yemen.
References
[edit]- ^ "الفنان عارف النُمي: 'شبه طبيعي' يواكب الرؤية الفنية المعاصرة". Al Yaum (in Arabic). 10 January 2023.
- ^ "الفنان عارف النُمي: 'شبه طبيعي' يواكب الرؤية الفنية المعاصرة". Al Yaum. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ "مدينة بيزنسون الفرنسية تحتضن معرضاً لفناني اليمن". Dunia Al-Mughtaribeen (in Arabic). 6 June 2022.
- ^ "Damaged images become surreal symbols that impress international exhibitions". Independent Arabia. 13 September 2021.