Monira Al Qadiri

Monira Al Qadiri (b.1983) is a Kuwaiti visual artist born in Senegal and educated in Japan. She received her Ph.D. in inter-media art from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2010.

Through the use of self-portraiture and symbols of masculinity, Al Qadiri explores the psychological tension of being female in a male-dominated society. Another recurring motif in her practice is the dissolution of cultural or religious identity. Incorporating folkloric and historical references in her work, she reflects on the slow disappearance of a shared culture.

Al Qadiri’s solo exhibitions include shows at the Sultan Gallery, Kuwait; and Tokyo Wonder Site, Japan. She has participated in collective international exhibitions in CCA Warsaw, Poland; Kunstverein Dusseldorf, Germany; Maraya Arts Center, Sharjah, UAE; Hong-Gah Museum, Taiwan; Edge of Arabia Projects, London; Beirut Art Center, Lebanon; Home Works 6, Beirut, Lebanon; Sultan Gallery Kuwait; Watermill Center, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo Japan, Moscow Center of Contemporary Art and most recently the Sursock Musuem in Beirut Lebanon.