Dina Amin was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Visual Arts Commission in July 2020. She has over 20 years of experience in the international contemporary art industry, having held senior positions with some of the world’s most distinguished auction houses. Most recently, Dina held the position of Senior Director and Senior International Specialist of 20th Century & Contemporary Art at Phillips, a global auction house renowned as a destination for international art and design collectors, where she was responsible for supporting the global strategic development of the auction house. Prior to that, Dina was the Head of Department for 20th Century & Contemporary Art for Europe, working closely across all disciplines to redefine Phillips’ market position by driving growth in the region. Dina also held a number of senior positions with Christie’s Auction House, across multiple global markets including the United States, the Middle East and the United Kingdom. Her roles at Christie’s included Senior Director and Senior Specialist for Post-War and Contemporary Art, Head of Evening Auction and Senior Director for Post-War and Contemporary Art (London), Head of Day Auction (London), Associate Director of Post-War and Contemporary Art and Middle East Development Manager.
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
Throughout history visual language in all its forms has played a critical role in enriching the human experience, from ancient times and evidence of these civilizations witnessed in preserved rock inscriptions, architecture of the past to modern day engagement with the visual arts across all media. This rich visual tapestry of artistic expression has driven people’s imagination and the need to engage through image, symbols, and many other innovative means of expression transcending the barriers of spoken language and creating a shared and common means for expression and connectivity. In Saudi Arabia, a nascent and rich modern visual art scene emerged in the early 1960s led by a first generation of pioneering artists paving the path for a Saudi art scene that has continued to flourish with the emergence of subsequent generations of impassioned and creative artists with practices anchored in a multitude of media and methodologies. These generations of artists have engaged in a dialogue with the world around them reflecting on modern and contemporary local and global concepts and concerns inspired by culture, history, and social memory and conscience through remarkable works of art that capture the aspirations and hopes of a society for an ever increasing and brighter future. The Visual Arts Commission seeks to support and enable this artistic movement by embracing, nurturing, and empowering practitioners of the visual arts in Saudi Arabia. The Commission aspires to provide a comprehensive strategy for the visual arts sector which will be realized through targeted programs and initiatives celebrating the richness of our history, our present and the hopes and dreams that we have for a vibrant future locally and globally.