Muhannad Shono

What Remains

b. Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 1977
Based in Riyadh

What Remains
Thousand Palms, CA

This ephemeral installation was on view March 8 – April 4.

Muhannad Shono is known for his innovative exploration of identity, memory, and cultural heritage. His large-scale installations transform common elements such as plastic pipe, string, or sand into intricate systems. Drawing inspiration from the complexities of his upbringing in the Arabian Peninsula, Shono combines traditional techniques with modern forms to address themes of displacement, transformation, and the intersection of past and present.

Fluidity permeates his work, reflecting both identity and land. In his Desert X installation, Shono presents a version of land without fixed identity, continuously shaped and reshaped by nature’s forces. While wind typically poses a challenge for artworks, in What Remains, Shono makes it a collaborator. He infuses long strips of fabric with the native sand, allowing them to move freely and amplifying the ever-changing state of the dunes.

The fabric strips, orientated to align with the prevailing winds, follow the contours of the ground, fibrillating just above its surface. As the wind direction shifts, the natural process of aeolian transportation that forms dunes is interrupted, causing the fabric to tangle and form chaotic bundles. In this way, the ground itself becomes mutable—a restlessly changing relic or memory.

Shono describes his work as existing in “a state of tremor,” suspended between the pull of gravity and the relentless force of the wind. This instability transforms the earth into an elusive artifact: pliable and transient, yet heavy with meaning. It evokes a home that cannot be contained, a narrative that cannot settle, and a place that refuses to stay still.

Generous support is provided by Athr Foundation.