About
Amani Al-thuwaini is a Kuwaiti artist/designer, born in Ukraine in 1989. She holds a Bachelor degree in Architecture from Kuwait University, which has influenced her methodical approach of collecting information and meticulous approach to designing and creating artwork. In 2017, Althuwaini received her MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London. Subsequently, she was shortlisted for the Warsteiner BLOOOM Award in 2017 and in 2018 she was selected to attend the International Designer’s workshop at the V&A Museum, London. She has exhibited extensively throughout London and Kuwait and has also shown her work in Prague, Dubai, Brazil and Bolivia.
She worked as an architect, educator, interior designer, content creator and visual merchandiser. Al Thuwaini continues to push the boundaries of multidisciplinarity through the exploration of art, craft and design. Currently, Al Thuwaini is working on a project titled Dazzalab which is the outcome of her MFA thesis “A Criticism on the Contemporary Dowry Vessels in Kuwait”, where she challenges the limited standing of accumulated objects and precious crafts.
She believes that the cultural duality she inherited through her Kuwaiti, Ukrainian roots greatly influenced her unique awareness of identity and culture, impelling her to explore this in her work. This duality offers a unique perspective, whereby she can often see through the eyes of the ‘other’, consciously becoming the spectator; observing, analyzing and absorbing the varying facets that form cultural identities. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Althuwaini combines individual and collective narratives with symbols that are open to differing cultural interpretations. She reveals the juncture where identities converge and exposes behaviors and rituals that are often taken for granted. Themes of luxury and socio-politics relevant to Kuwait and the Gulf region are emphasized in her work.
Employing mixed media and two-dimensional forms within her work, Althuwaini aims to expose this cultural collision by incorporating insinuations of modernism, superficial display, commodity fetishism and gender. Her resulting works are a candid response to the commodification and changes of traditions and customs; hybrids that represent a far more ‘globalized’ ritual.
Amani AlThuwaini
Kuwaiti Ukrainian designer/artist
Born 1989 in Kharkiv, Ukraine
Amani.althuwaini@gmail.com
+96565117877
Education
2018
University of the Arts London, Online.
Visual Merchandizing and display by Sarah
Manning.
2015-2017
Goldsmiths University of London, London, UK.
MFA Fine Art
2016
The Academy of Art, Architecture and Design, Prague, Czech Republic.
Erasmus exchange program
2016
Kassandras hybrid space for Urban & Social experiments, Athens,
Greece - Site specific project / Erasmus exchange program
2007- 2013
Kuwait University, College of Architecture,
BA Architecture
BA Graduation project: 2013 Labor compound,
Exhibited both in Kuwait Engineering society and Kuwait Architecture Student
Association annual exhibitions.
Honors - Awards
2018
International Designers workshop - V&A museum and the British Council, London.
2017
Shortlisted for BLOOOM Contemporary Art Award by WARSTEINER.
2016
Nominated for Art Jameel Prize.
2013
- Best graduation Architecture project Award - Kuwait Engineering Society.
- Residency grant - The British Council, Out of Kuwait residency program -
Kuwait and London.
Teaching experiences
2018
- IN.DIG.GO program - Creative learning with kids - with Nuqat and Zain Kuwiat,
Dar Al Athar Al Islamiya, Yarmouk cultural centre.
2017
- Teacher Assistant - Kuwait University College of Architecture, department of
communication and interiors / Representation I.
2017
- Interview panel for prospect MFA Fine Art students, Goldsmiths University of
London.
2016
- Teacher Assistant - Kuwait University College of Architecture, department of
communication and interiors / Representation I.
- Winter 2 weeks Art Camp, The print room, Kuwait.
2015
- Children tutor - Role Models, London.
- Teacher Assistant - Kuwait University College of Architecture, department of
communication and interiors / Interior Architecture design studio.
Kuwait University College of Architecture, department of communication and
interiors / Art of drawing.
- Summer Art Camp, J's Preschool.
Work Experiences
2019
Owner / lead designer for DAZZALAB dowry design service company.
2017-2019
Interior designer / visual merchandising executive, The BEDSHOP, Kuwait.
2018-2019
Creative director - MOVE startup, Kuwait.
2015-2016
Part time Art tutor – Role Models, London
2015
Social media coordinator and graphic designer – K’S PATH Animal
shelter, Kuwait
2014-2015
Architect – NHEC (Najeeb AlHumaidhi Engineering Consultancy) – Kuwait
2013-2014
- Interior designer - Communication and interiors department, IKEA Kuwait
- Interior designer - Contracts and interior design department, IKEA Kuwait
2011-2012
Al Anjari co. Graphic designer and event coordinator
2010
Full time interior designer - Contracts and interior design department, IKEA
Kuwait
2009-2010
Internship: Architecture firm - SDQ+P Dawood AlQattan
2009
Summer trainee: Visual merchandiser – NIKE Kuwait
2008
Sales assistant – IKEA Kuwait
Exhibitions
2019
In my dream I was in Kuwait, Scoletta dell’Arte dei Teraoro e Battioro
Venice - Italy.
Abolish 153 exhibition, Dar Al Athar Al Islamiya, Yarmouk Kuwait.
2018
Abolish 153 exhibition, FA Gallery, Kuwait
The Agency of visible women, Beecroft Gallery London
Youth exhibition - Qurain festival, Al Adwani gallery, Kuwait
2017
Women at War, FA Gallery, Kuwait
GOLDSMITHS MFA DEGREE SHOW, Goldsmiths University of London
Transition exhibition, Menier Gallery , London
Abolish article 153, The Hub, Kuwait
Fair Booth Trial, Carousel exhibition space, London
K'S PATH annual charity exhibition, Boushahri gallery, Kuwait
2016
New Matter, Den Gallery, Kuwait
FiliArt Exhibition, Oxford House, London
The Blue Hour - XX Bolivia Biennale, Centro de la Cultura Plurinacional Santa
Cruz, Bolivia
Unveiling Marriage, Residency and Solo exhibition, Al Makan, Kuwait
Interim group show, Goldsmiths University of London
EXIT, National Technical Library, Prague
Slippery Surface, Hartslane Gallery, London
SADI, Sadu House, Kuwait
Abolish 153, FA Gallery, Kuwait
What's your location?, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
Abolish 153, JAMM Gallery, Dubai
Women’s Work, Beecroft Art Gallery, London
2015
Christmas Art Fair, Chalton Gallery, London
What’s your location?, Porto Alegre , Centro Cultural Ceee Eirico Verissimo,
Brazil
Abolish 153, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
K’s Path Charity exhibition, Boushahri gallery, Kuwait
Benchmark, GUST, Kuwait
2014
Peace One Day, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
2013
Out of Kuwait, Edge of Arabia, London
Per-Form, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
Calligrafitti, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
Graduation Projects exhibition, Kuwait University, Kuwait
2012
Peace One Day, Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
Out of Kuwait, Modern Museum of Art, Kuwait
2011
NIKE opening event, 360 mall, Kuwait
Dewaniya winter school - exhibition, AL Qibliya School, Kuwait City
2009
REUSE 3.0, collaboration with Alia Farid Abdal, Avenues Mall, Kuwait
Artist Residencies
2018-2019
- Abdulla AlSalem Cultural center AIR program, Kuwait
2016
- Unveiling marriage- Part of SWIFT TANK program, Al Makan, Kuwait
- Reinterpreting tradition- residency program, Sadu house, Kuwait
2013
Out of Kuwait- British Council, residency program lead by David Rayson, CAP,
Kuwait
2012
Landscapes Expanded- British Council, Out of Kuwait lead by David Rayson and
Alia Farid, Moma, Kuwait