Client
Ahmed Matar
Sharjah Art Foundation

Year
2014

This complex infographic was commissioned by the Saudi artist Ahmed Mater for inclusion in his exhibition of 100 Found Objects at the Sharjah Art Foundation. The infographic traces the unofficial histories behind the mass expansion of Mecca, utilizing object-oriented ontology methodologies to explore the intersection of history, memory, and perception. Spanning from the pre-common era (BCE) to the 2010s (CE) and beyond, the timeline captures the evolving relationship between Mecca’s past and its rapidly changing future.

Drawing from Mater’s collection of 100 Found Objects, the design highlights the objects themselves while uncovering the rich stories attached to them. These objects, sourced from Mecca’s historical and contemporary landscape, become tangible manifestations of broader political histories, community memories, and pilgrim experiences. Each narrative—blending fact with fiction—challenges traditional boundaries of history, offering a multi-dimensional view of Mecca’s complex identity.

The infographic is organized in a spiral-like format, where each object is connected along a continuous timeline. This structure reflects the fluid and intertwined nature of history, where past, present, and future are in constant motion and overlap. The objects are placed in relation to each other, visually representing their connections across time while categorizing them along a scale from real to fictional. The design mixes historical facts with imagined narratives, encouraging a dynamic engagement with memory and imagination. This infographic not only serves as a visual timeline but also as a conceptual exploration of how history and memory are constructed, interpreted, and re-imagined through the objects we leave behind.