Khalid Al Banna UAE, b. 1975

Khalid Al Banna (b. 1975, Sharjah)  is a contemporary Emirati artist, where he continues to live and work. A prominent figure in the UAE’s art scene since the early 1990s, Al Banna is recognized for his unique approach to collage as an expressive visual language through which he explores themes of identity, memory, and the rapid urban transformations shaping the Emirates. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University. This academic foundation has profoundly influenced his understanding of form, space, and proportion—principles that continue to shape both the visual and conceptual framework of his artistic practice. His body of work ranges from early black-and-white collages, which marked the beginning of his career, to vibrant, layered textile compositions rich in materials and color. In both series, negative space becomes a central arena for projecting inner narratives, inspired by his architectural sensibility and passion for constructing symbolic and spatial forms.

Alongside collage, Al Banna has developed a significant practice in sculptural design. His contemporary sculptures embrace geometric abstraction and minimalist aesthetics, drawing from fundamental shapes such as circles, squares, triangles, and cones. These sculptural forms offer contemplative balances between mass and void, fluidity and structure. Deeply informed by architectural principles, his works reflect symmetry, repetition, and layering, turning pure shapes into contemporary symbols that engage with concepts of time, place, and identity. He has participated in several sculpture design competitions, and in 2023, was commissioned by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority to create the Union Monument, in collaboration with a group of prominent Emirati artists. The project celebrates the spirit of the UAE's union and the values of national identity in public space.

Throughout his career, Al Banna has participated in numerous prominent exhibitions locally and internationally. These include EXPO’s DHAI Dubai (2025), “Interwoven Realities” at Abu Dhabi Art (2025), Sotheby’s “Whispers of the Past” (2025), Sharjah International Biennial (1999), and Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. He has also exhibited in Al Burda at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi (2019), and Portrait of a Nation at the Abu Dhabi Festival (2016), which later toured to the me Collectors Room / Olbricht Foundation in Berlin (2017), the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (2010) and the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi (1989). His work has also been included in group shows in France, Austria, the UK, Italy, and Mexico.

His artworks are held in numerous prestigious public and institutional collections, including the Sharjah Art Museum, Barjeel Art Foundation, Abu Dhabi Music & Art Foundation (ADMAF), UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Youth, Sharjah Department of Culture, the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi, the UAE Embassy in Washington, D.C., Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), and the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), among many other local and international institutions.