Othman Khunji

Biography

Othman Khunji is an interdisciplinary conceptual artist. His work ranges across the fields of product, and interactive installation design. The social behaviors, triangulating how the relationships between religion, culture, and society can be expressed through the language of design are his particular areas of interest. Whether educational or critical, evocative or reminiscent, his interactive creations invite a reawakening and exploration of social justice issues that will establish platforms for dialogue in the hope of generating new progressive schools of thought.

A graduate of Master in Fine Arts in Design Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, Othman’s studies include his latest publication, RITUALS, Our Past, Present & Future: Glimpses of Islamic Enrichment and its accompanying collection, The Five Pillars of Islam. Living between, Bahrain, Dubai, Colombia and Qatar, Othman has gained knowledge of various international languages of design. As an extrovert chameleon, his commitment to and perseverance in this field of art and design have resulted in press recognition both locally and internationally, such as Harper’s Bazaar, Brown Book, Scarab and Domus to name a few. Additionally, his work has been showcased in Paris, Milan, Chicago, London, Berlin, St. Petersburg and all over the Middle East, in prominent venues such as The Grand Palais, The Triennale, Saatchi, Rabouan Moussion, The Manege, Kraftwerk, Bahrain National Museum, Qatar Museums, The National Gallery of Fine Art, The Shangri La, The W, Alon Zakaim, Menier, Sullivan, and Sheikh Faisal Al Thani Museum. In addition to events such as Paris Design Week, The Fuorisalone, Milan Design Week, The New York Times Art for Tomorrow Conference, Design Days, Amman Design Week, Dubai Design Week, The Nuqat Conference and Zayed University Middle East Film Festival.

Othman is a VCU 10 Under 10 Award winning artist, and a certified member of Sapri Bridge Oriental Design Week, Fuorisalone co-founder of Asia Design Pavilion at Milan Design Week and an official member of the Milan Fuorisalone Commission. He has worked with local and international organizations such as Studio Banana, Virginia Commonwealth University, Brown University, Kings College of London, French House of Design, and Qatar Museums. His work is dedicated to the loving memory of his late mother, Majeeda Ali Ahmed Al-Awadhi.

Private Collections

Private Collections Images

2024
Al Orwah Al Wuthqa, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi (Parker Langham Consultancy, London)

2023
Religious Authority, Mr. Ibrahim Mohamed Jaidah, CEO Arab Engineering Bureau
lqra, HRH Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser AI-Missned

2022
Fifa Series, HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani / Fifa President High Boxes
Cultural Coffee series, The Raffles Hotel

2021
Mecca Modified III, Mr. Ibrahim Al Jaidah – Arab Engineering Bureau

2020
The Dilmun Series, The Jumeirah Al Sahel Resort
Religious Vanity II (Male & Female), Sheikha Nada Al Thani

2019
Laa wa ila, HRH Princess Consort Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa

2018
Rawa, La Triennale di Milano Design Museum in association with Italian Ministry of Foreignn Affairs
Laa wa if a, Mrs. Bouthayna Al Muftah

2017
Inhumane, HE Sheikha lntisar Salem Al Sabah
Religious Vanity, Mr. Abdulrahman Al Zayani, Managing Director- Al Zayani Investments
HER II, Mr. Majid Al Nasr

2016
Religious Vanity, Mr. Khalifa AIGhanim – President, AIGhanim Automotive
Recycle, Revive, Relive, Al Riwaq Gallery
Unearthing, National Museum of Bahrain
The Testimony Embodiment, The Shangri La Hotel
Mecca Modified, The Shangri La Hotel
Religious Vanity, Qatar Museums
ANA, Reversed, HE Sheikh Khalifa Al Khalifa, Director of Bahrain Museums

2015
The Five Pillars of Islam, full collection, HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa AI-Thani

Exhibitions

2022
Doha, St. Regis Hotel, Eiwan Al Gassar Gallery, Road to Makkah exhibit

2021
Doha, Al Hosh Gallery, Msheireb Design District, Between The Holy & The Self – Solo Exhibit

2020
Doha, Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

2019
Kuwait, The Hub Gallery, Filtered Exhibit
Amman, Amman Design Week, The Shapes of Water Exhibit
Manama, Artbab International Annual Art Fair
Riyadh, Prince Sultan University, The Shapes of Water Exhibit
Virginia, Richmond Qatar House Gallery, Qatar Day events

2018
St. Petersburg, The Manege, Qatar Contemporary Art & Photography
London, Alon Zakaim Gallery, Accumulation, Legacy & Memory
Paris, Rabouan Moussion Gallery, Artbab series
Paris, RMN Grand Palais Museum, The Legacy & The Contemporary Memory
Paris, Paris Design Week, Espace Commines, 1000 Vases Exhibit
Doha, Msheireb Enrichment Center, The Shapes of Water Exhibit
Doha, Qatar Foundation, Minaratein Gallery, Deconstructing the Sacred, Solo Exhibit
Milan, Milan Design Week, Asian Design Pavilion, Sarpi Bridge Oriental Design Week
Kuwait, The Hub Gallery, Abolish 153
Doha, VCUQ, Women Leadership Week
Doha, VCUQ, Martin Luther King Week

2017
Berlin, Kraftwerk Space, Contemporary Art Qatar
London, Saatchi Gallery, Diversity
Kuwait, The Hub Gallery, Women in War
Doha, VCUQ Gallery, 20.20.20
London, Menier Gallery, Transition
Doha, The W Hotel, Art 29, Art for Tomorrow conference/ Exhibit
Manama, Bahrain Convention Center, Art Bahrain Across Borders (Artbab)
Manama, Bahrain Arts Center, Spring of Culture, Solo Exhibition
Manama, Bahrain National Museum, 43rd Bahrain Annual Fine Arts Exhibition

2016
Kuwait, Nuqat Annual Conference, Commissioned by AI-Riwaq Gallery Bahrain
Dubai, Dubai Design Week, ABWAB, Bahrain Pavilion, Commissioned by Bahrain Museums
Doha, Msheireb Museums, The Company House, Strange Wonders
Doha, Fire Station, Garage Gallery, The Selfless Holy Ground, Artist in Residence Exhibit
Doha, Fire Station Garage Gallery, Domestic Affairs

2015
Dubai, The Mine Gallery, The Orient Odyssey
Dubai, Dubai Design Days, Downtown Dubai
Doha, Virginia Commonwealth University, Rituals, Our Past, Present and Future:
Glimpses of Islamic Enrichment, MFA Exhibition

2014
Doha, Katara Cultural Village, WISE Learning Festival Exhibit

2008
Bahrain, Ahliya University, GREEN Fashion Show

Publications

2015
“Rituals, Our Past, Present and Future: Glimpses of Islamic Enrichment.” Doha: Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar

2014
“The Prayery.” Designed, fabricated, performed and visualised. Vimeo Short video. https://vimeo.com/123185985