BBC has just revealed its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world for 2019,shining a light on trailblazers across the world, from high-profile figures to rising names whose work truly inspire. The women featured on this year’s list include those in science, arts, politics, law, technology, sports, gender, and identity, as well activists, campaigners, “and those who have responded to remarkable challenges in their own lives by making real change in the world around them.”
Amongst the selection of women from more than 58 countries who shared their vision of a female-led future is Saudi Arabian photographer and contemporary artist Manal AlDowayan. Holder of a Master's Degree in Systems Analysis and Design and an MA in Contemporary Art Practice in Public Spheres at the Royal College of Art, AlDowayan's work is truly spectacular, embracing diverse media and exploring key themes such as invisibility, memory, and the representation of women in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi-born, AlDowayan was raised in Dhahran, in the Kingdom’s eastern province, and now resides between Saudi Arabia and Dubai, UAE. Amongst the artist’s most notable works are black and white photographs of Saudi Arabia's female workforce, to a frozen flock of birds imprinted with the permission slip Saudi women require to travel.
Speaking to the news site, AlDowayan said, “Every day I am confronted with the incredible brilliance and courage of women around me, and I can only see a better future when these women have their place in society and history.”
BBC’s 100 Women list is a multi-format series established in 2013 that examines the role of women in the 21st century. It was designed to address the under-representation of women in the media and to highlight through that the issues women face across the globe that are not always getting in-depth coverage. This year, 100 Women asked: what would the future look like if it were driven by women?
