Hisham Al Madhloum

Hisham Al Madhloum, born in 1961 in Sharjah, is widely known in art and culture circles in the UAE, mainly for his instrumental roles in the development of cultural initiatives and organizations in Sharjah since the early 90s, such as the Sharjah Art Museum, the Sharjah Biennial, and the Emirates Fine Arts Society. Many people don’t know that this illustrious career in cultural administration advanced alongside Al Madhloum’s lesser known, but equally robust, graphic design practice of over three decades. This exhibition showcases Al Madhloum’s early body of graphic design work, mainly from the 80s and 90s, a period when the self-taught designer was forging an unprecedented path for the discipline from within the local art scene. The works chosen for this occasion speak to Al Madhloum’s early conceptual and technical exploration of graphic design concurrent with an appreciation for local values and symbols embodied in his national projects.

Department