ali omar ermes

b. 1945, Libya. 

Ali Omar Ermes bases his work on Arabic literature and letters. His unique style blends, in particular, Islamic poetry and prose as comments on social values and issues such as those of human rights, environment conservation, peace and justice. His paintings speak volumes both to those that can understand Arabic and those who cannot, being described as “a bridge between the divide of cultures and languages”.

Ermes travelled to England for his education and received a diploma in design at the Plymouth School of Art and Design in 1970, and also attended the Central School of Art and Design (now known as: Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design) in London. He is currently the chair of the Muslim Cultural Heritage Center in London. In addition to art, Ermes is also known for his writing and community activism. 

EXHIBITIONS

RECENT EXHIBITIONS

State Hermitage – St Petersburg, Russia, 2007.

The Meem Gallery – Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2007, 2008.

The University of California, Los Angeles, Fowler Museum – Los Angeles, United States of America, 2007-2008. 

The Ghaf Art Gallery – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2007.

The National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution – Washington D.C., United States of America, 2007.

The Dar al-Funoon Gallery – Kuwait, 2008.

‘Word into Art’, the British Museum – London, United Kingdom, 2006; Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2008.

‘East-West: Objects Between Cultures’, Tate Britain – London, United Kingdom, 2006-2007.

Dubai International Financial Centre – Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2008. 

SELECED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Tripoli International Fair – Tripoli, Libya, 1965.

The City Art Gallery, The Museum of Plymouth – Devon, United Kingdom, 1969.

Islamic Culture Centre – Washington, D.C., United States of America, 1976.

Royal Overseas League – London, United Kingdom, 1982. 

EGEE Art Consultancy – London, United Kingdom, 1982.

KUFFA Gallery – London, United Kingdom, 1988.

J. Slater Gallery – Kuwait, 1988.

Sultan Gallery – Kuwait, 1989.

OFFICIAL COLLECTIONS

The British Museum – London, United Kingdom.

The Ashmoleum Museum – Oxford, United Kingdom.

Werelmuseum – Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The Jordanian National Museum – Jordan.

The Smithsonian Institution – Washington D.C., United States of America.

Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts – Amman, Jordan.

The National Gallery of Malaysia – Kula Lumpur, Malaysia.

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

The British Government Art Collection – London, United Kingdom.

Prince of Wales Collection – London, United Kingdom.

The Royal Collection of the Sultanate of Oman – Oman.

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid al-Maktoum – Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Arab Heritage Gallery – Saudi Arabia.

Other international banks and oil companies.