Creativity and Conservatism: An Investigation into the Formation of Saudi Female Artistic Identity

Fatemah Abdullah Alqahtani

This book investigates the formation of Saudi female artistic identity within the context of religious and social values and customs. It proposes a theory about the uniqueness of this identity in terms of how Saudi female artists push the boundaries of creativity in a conservative culture.

The book explores the influence of two main factors: Islamic doctrines and sociocultural norms. It examines how these factors relate to the temporal and spatial limitations placed on artists. From a faith-based perspective, it analyses the ambivalent relationship between some Muslim scholars’ thoughts and the concept of creativity, and how this ambivalence can be overcome.

The book also examines the intellectual and cultural factors that have shaped Saudis’ collective mindset about the arts, incorporating significant events in Saudi history and their impact on artistic practice.

If you have questions about what factors shape female Saudi artistic identity or how these artists are challenging norms of representation, this book helps uncover the answers.