Dr Saud Al Hunaini

An Omani visual artist and one of the leading names in the art scene of the Sultanate of Oman, with a long creative career and a significant presence in local and international exhibitions and forums. His connection to art began when he joined the Youth Atelier in 1980, before developing a rich practice that combines academic knowledge with professional work.

Dr Saud Al Hunaini’s work is marked by a compelling visual realism and a skilled handling of light and colour that gives his paintings dramatic depth and a living presence. His subjects range across the human face, landscape, Omani heritage motifs, horses and Arabic lettering, using oil, acrylic and mixed media, alongside his work in sculpture, photography and calligraphy.

Al Hunaini has won a number of distinguished art prizes, foremost among them the Sultan Qaboos Award for Cultural Creativity, and has represented the Sultanate of Oman at international events in several countries, including China, South Korea, Italy, France, Switzerland, India and Mexico. His works are held in institutional, museum and private collections inside Oman and abroad, a reflection of the standing his practice enjoys.

Alongside his own production, Al Hunaini plays an active part in serving the visual art movement as head of the Omani Art Ambassadors team, contributing through exhibitions, workshops and lectures to the development of talent and to a wider cultural presence for Omani art.

The practice of Dr Saud Al Hunaini holds a balanced mix of authenticity and professionalism; he turns light, heritage and the human figure into works that carry a firm Omani identity and an artistic value able to speak to audiences, collectors and cultural institutions around the world.