Saeed Gebaan

Born 1989 in Abha, Saudi Arabia, where he lives and works

Saeed Gebaan grew up in Abha, in southern Saudi Arabia, a diverse environment combining plains, mountains, desert, and sea, which nurtured his appreciation for vibrant colors. With a background in dynamic sciences and industrial engineering, Gebaan explores natural phenomena in his artistic practice by analyzing how people interact with their surroundings. His installations employ computer programming and kinetic systems, intersecting science, technology, and social realities. Gebaan participated in Bienalsur, SAMoCA, Riyadh (2023). He co-founded phi Studio in 2017 with artist Hatem Al Ahmad, focusing on contemporary art, social science, and practices of collaboration. They exhibited at Fenaa Alawwal, Riyadh (2024); Quoz Arts Fest, Dubai (2024); and Noor Riyadh (2023).

Nafas

This kinetic installation is inspired by the various communities and the multitude of tongues who have passed, over centuries, through the port city of Jeddah, which has long been a pivotal gateway for pilgrims arriving by sea. Each of the work’s golden filaments moves in tandem, echoing in motion and sound the cycle of breathing. 

In the work, breathing in unison is motorized and animated representing the universality of prayer which supersedes differences in language and origin. The contraction and expansion movements emerge as a dynamic polyphonic composition, a harmony that symbolizes human connection and the role of individual presence in forming the collective. The work celebrates that, despite cultural differences, there is a shared spiritual essence in the act of worship.