Bio
Founder of Ammar Basheir Creative Studios (ABCS) , Ammar’s design philosophy is rooted in storytelling. His deep respect for history, culture, architecture, and ecology informs his designs, allowing him to actualize his signature scenography dreamscapes while still preserving the heritage and integrity of the space. His singular talent stems from his ability to fuse exceptional, hand-crafted artistry with new mediums and materials to boldly reimagine interiors and curate innovative experiences. Internationally recognized for his eclecticism, Ammar Basheir designs atmospheric spaces using the visceral language of the senses to build universal narratives across his extensive portfolio of projects, earning him prestigious awards and features in numerous leading publications. Establishing a sustainable infrastructure that collaborates with crafts people, and communities, is one of Ammar’s key passions. He seeks artisans and works with them to revive age-old techniques and reinterpret objects in a contemporary light fueling the creative economy. He aims to highlight the importance of this mindset. These creative collaborations safeguard important traditions in the light of the recent global pandemic and its struggles, while shedding light on the stories behind each craft, and it makes His work not just aesthetically exceptional, but also meaningful and relevant. Currently he is redesigning the Bahrain hotel interiors, a restoration project of the first hotel in Bahrain, that embodies the work of local artisans in a new perspective and introducing a new sense of opulent materiality through organic elements
“Redefining Orange Economy through the lens of Materiality”
Lecture Brief:
For the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah 27th Cultural Convention, Ammar will be discussing, and defining, Materiality as he sees it. The topic will focus on the tactile nature of different materials, both natural and synthetic, and the direct relationship between the myriad availability of both, including the opportunities and subtleties that arise through exploration, and the creative process. Ammar will draw attention to the connection of empowering the makers and service providers in the creative economy, also known as “the Orange Economy”, a term coined by John Hawkins in 2011, via the inclusion of contemporary design using existing materials. Expressing, and developing techniques implemented on various materials in new and fresh ways. Cultivation of the “Materiality” of different mediums creates new opportunities for budding creative economies, or stagnant ones, and brings together various types of expertise in a single process of creative output. To highlight the ebb and flow of connection between products, people, craftsmanship and their stories. The lecture will present various depictions of work relating to the above, showcasing his philosophy to sustainable creative output and relevant global design, all the while contributing to a thriving Orange Economy.
