Born in 1973 in the Saudi Arabian city of Khamis Mushait, Gharem is a conceptual artist trapped in the body of a lieutenant-colonel in the Saudi army. From wrapping himself in plastic sheeting, encasing one of the trees running down the main street of the city of Abha to wanting to do installations with tribal music – his work comprises photography, video, performance and sculpture.

His avant-garde approach was not quite understood by his peers at the time, thus Lahd gallery promoted his new media works in 2006 and 2007 in Oman, Egypt, Tunis and Iran. Following his record-breaking sale at Christie’s in 2011 for his sculptural installation “Message/Messenger”, Gharem helped co-found the nonprofit arts organization Edge of Arabia to promote arts education and give an international platform to contemporary Saudi artists. His works are housed in public collections across Europe and the Middle East and he has exhibited at the Venice, Sharjah and Berlin biennales.