Show me who you are with what you do.
ART
The Wind Boys • 2025
Short film @Art Week Riyadh 2025, KSA
Inner Waves • 2023
Immersive, interactive installation @Noor Riyadh 23/24, KSA
Approaching To Chaos • 2023
2-channel video @37x Gallery, Dubai UAE
Can You Be Real With Me? • 2023
Interactive installation @37x Gallery, Dubai UAE
In Memory Of Forgotten Dreams • 2022
video installation @Noor Riyadh, KSA
1% 2022
digital installation @SINDBAD: Land Of Fragile Hearts, Jeddah KSA
META POETRY • 2021
interactive digital installation @Misk Art Institute, Riyadh KSA
INFERNO in NEON • 2020
audio-visual installation @KAFD, Riyadh KSA
Rights ON • 2016
live video performance @Oxford Art Factory, Sydney AUS
INFERNO • 2016
live video show @Oxford Art Factory, Sydney AUS
SWEETBOX REDUX • 2015
@RLS Gallery Group Show, Sydney AUS
ReCycology • 2014
@Black Art Group Show, Sydney AUS
SWEETBOX • 2012
audio-visual installation @Sketch, Melbourne AUS
EXHIBITIONS
AWARDS
LIT: Lighting Design Awards 2023 — link
‘Inner Waves’ • Winner in Immersive Lighting Project
2026 • Diriyah Art Futures: Mazra'ah Media Arts Residency ‘Intelligent Matter’, KSA
2022 • Visual Arts Commission: Mentorship & Guidance Program, KSA
2021 • Misk Art Institute: MASAHA Spring (1st Edition), Riyadh, KSA
RESIDENCIES
2026 • Before It Becomes History: Building Collective Memory Lecture & workshop for Intermix AiR 2026
2025 • Painting With Time photography masterclass for Noor Riyadh 2025, Alserkal Advisory
2023 • Generative Poetry workshop at Noor Riyadh Festival 2023 Public Programme • Sound in the City panel with Baloo Ahmad Alammary, Basmah Felemban, Hussam Dakkak, Moderator: Alia Fatouh
2022 • Creative Conversation: ‘Art & Design’ at Saudi Design Festival Adhlal: What are NFTs and Why Should Designers Pay Attention?
2021 • Alliance Française: Digital November / ‘AI in Art’ with Daniah Al Saleh & Skygge • Seeing in Plain Sight: generative poetry workshop at Misk Art Institute
WORKSHOPS
2026 • Ayman Zedani ‘In the Bellies of the Rocks’, AlUla Arts Festival, KSA
2022 • Ayman Zedani ‘The desert keepers’, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2020 • Pablo Zuleta Zahr ‘The Global Identity Project: Sydney’, Berlin, GERMANY
CONTRIBUTOR
Working as a creative consultant and production assistant with visual artist Muhannad Shono, ATHR Gallery:
2023 • ‘Letters in Light’, Louvre Abu Dhabi, UAE • ‘Letters in Light (Lines we Write)’, Islamic Arts Biennale, KSA
2022 • ‘I see you brightest in the dark’, NOOR Riyadh, KSA • ‘After The Fall’ @Biennale De Lyon, FRANCE • ‘On Losing Meaning’ @Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, GERMANY • ‘A Song of Silence’ @Art Basel, SWITZERLAND • ‘The Teaching Tree’ @La Biennale di Venezia, ITALY
2021 • ‘Book Of Sand’ 21,39 @Saudi Art Council, Jeddah, KSA
2020 ‘The Mind Ship Exodus’ @Noor Riyadh, KSA • ‘Book Of Sand’ @Misk Art Institute, KSA • ‘The Lost Path’ Desert X, sculpture in Al Ula, KSA
2019 • ‘The Last Garden of Khidr’ 21,39 installation @Saudi Art Council, Jeddah, KSA • Artists-in-Labs (JHD) Al-Balad, Jeddah, KSA • ‘Searching for Contact’ ‘From Within’ group show by MOC in Ad-Diriyah @JAX 1, Riyadh, KSA • ‘The Caliph Seeks Asylum’ Sculpture installation @GAM Torino, ITALY • ATHR booth installation for @Artissima Art Fair, Torino, ITALY • ‘ALA’ video installation @ITHRA Museum, Dhahran, KSA • ‘ALA’ visualisation @Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, DE • ‘Al-Ashirah’ video installation @ATHR gallery, Jeddah KSA
EDUCATION
ESTONIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS
1999 – 2003 • BA in Media Graphics & Design
WORK
2014−PRESENT
PURELY MENTAL STUDIO — link
Founder / Multidisciplinary Creative / Artist
A creative studio working with artists, galleries, and cultural institutions — from concept to image.
2019−PRESENT
SHONO STUDIO PROJECTS
Creative Consultant & Visualisation Design
Visualisation, 3D modelling, rendering, animation, photo & video.
2025−PRESENT
MOC, MUSEUMS COMMISSION
Photography, Videography & Creative Direction
SAMoCA, DAF, National Museum, exhibitions, events, photo & video.
MAR−AUG 2024
DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION RIYADH
Curatorial Assistant / Visualisation
Conceptual Research, Visualisation, 3D modelling, rendering, animation of all new commissions.
2020−2021
ATHR GALLERY JEDDAH
Contract Graphic Designer
Developed and maintained the gallery’s brand identity, design, and campaigns.
2019−2020
SPECIAL GROUP SYDNEY
Freelance Motion Graphics Designer
Uber and Uber Eats campaigns.
MAY−OCT 2019
R/GA SYDNEY
Contract Senior Motion Graphics Designer
Google Pixel 4 launch campaign; developing the motion style for the Telstra rebrand.
2018−2019
WHITEGREY, M&C SAATCHI, RE, MCCANN, ENSEMBLE
Freelance Graphic & Motion Graphics Designer
Developed visuals and concepts for brands such as Absolut, Lego, Optus, PWC, Qatar Airways, Powerade, Red Sea Project, and Volvo.
APR−MAY 2019
MUDDVILLE DUBAI
Contract Video Editor & Graphic Designer
Production and Post-production film company in the UAE.
Predominantly worked as a video editor and graphic designer for the SONY Xperia Middle East launch campaign.
MAR−DEC 2017
ADAA KSA NATIONAL CENTER FOR PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
Contract Art Director / Graphic Designer
Led concept development and overall design for several branding campaigns supporting the realisation of Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia’s ADAA is an independent government body that measures public-sector performance.
2016−2019
WORKSHOP AUSTRALIA
Part-Time Senior Creative / Art Director / Designer
Concept development, art direction, design, photography, motion graphics, TVC and digital. Served as Senior Creative on Ancestry’s AUS/NZ/Global advertising campaigns. Other brands I worked with include Mastercard, Lipton, Scenic World and Unilever.
2014−2015
CHIMNEY AUSTRALIA
Freelance Graphic & Motion Designer
Chimney is a global creation studio excelling in brand marketing and entertainment experiences. I worked on various projects for clients like Changi Airport, DHA and Singapore Tourism.
2010−2014
LOUD SYDNEY
Art Director / Graphic Designer
At this multicultural advertising agency, I worked as an art director/graphic designer and became a go-to specialist for branding design and guidelines development, as well as a photographer, illustrator, and animator.
2007−2009
TAEVAS OGILVY ESTONIA
Art Director / Interactive & Graphic Designer
I started working as an interactive designer, then expanded to an art director role working on campaigns for Toyota, Lexus, A Le Coq.
2003−2006
W-ALL IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & GAMING
Art Director / Interactive Designer
I was responsible for everything creative – web and interactive design, video, animation and print. Design work for an online gaming company in Helsinki, Finland.
2001−2003
LINK COMMUNICATION ARTS PUBLISHING
Graphic Designer / Illustrator
At this boutique Estonian publishing house, I worked as a graphic designer on several editions of LOOK, a biannual magazine dedicated to culture, fashion, and lifestyle. I also worked as an artist and illustrator for WC, a limited-edition magazine focused on arts and culture.