Latest news with #ArtWeekRiyadh
Arab News
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
What We Are Reading Today: ‘Contemporary Kingdom'
The new edition of 'Contemporary Kingdom' is a lush green coffee table volume that is more than worthy of the space it occupies. Building on the original 2014 release, the new edition offers a sweeping insight into one of the world's most dynamic art scenes. With expanded coverage, it dives deep into the Kingdom's bold and vibrant creative landscape through essays and detailed profiles of contemporary Saudi artists. This expanded volume charts the evolution of Saudi Arabia's art scene. It highlights visionary artists, pivotal moments and cultural shifts that have pushed the Kingdom onto the global art stage. From historical context to groundbreaking contemporary movements, the book captures a transformative journey in motion. Physically substantial, the book feels symbolic — like a literal building block in the ongoing construction of Saudi Arabia's artistic future. Featuring a foreword by Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah, Part 1 is titled 'The Ecosystem' and includes essays by notable Saudi voices such as Ashraf Fagih and Dalal Majed, alongside international contributors. Part 2 presents profiles of 55 Saudi artists, complete with suggestions for further reading. Launched by Canvas Magazine in collaboration with the Visual Arts Commission under the Ministry of Culture, the book made its debut during the inaugural Art Week Riyadh, which ended on April 13. 'Contemporary Kingdom, Second Edition' is available for purchase at the Riyadh Art Building in JAX, Diriyah, adjacent to the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, through the end of May.
Leaders
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Leaders
Cultural Development Fund Offers Exclusive Souvenirs at Art Week Riyadh
As Part of Art Week Riyadh, the Cultural Development Fund is currently offering exclusive souvenirs for visitors, according to Arab News. Set to run until Sunday, April 13, the inaugural edition of Art Week Riyadh seeks to celebrate the Kingdom's flourishing art scene. Themed 'At The Edge,' the event highlights the participation of local and international galleries, artists, and art enthusiasts from all over the world. As a programming partner at the event, the fund offers a magnificent collection of artworks at its pavilion in collaboration with Saudi visual artists. For example, the fund is currently showcasing limited-edition souvenirs, designed in partnership with renowned Saudi visual artists Lulwah Al-Homoud and Faisal Al-Kheriji. Cultural Development Fund pavilion Through a significant workshop titled 'Cultural Financing for the Visual Arts Sector,' the fund seeks to provide businesses with available funding opportunities. By participating at Art Week Riyadh, the fund emphasizes its dedication to boosting cultural projects and supporting creative production across all 16 cultural sectors, including the visual arts. 'Our participation in ART Week Riyadh and other major cultural and developmental events is part of the fund's commitment to aligning its efforts with both the cultural and developmental landscapes,' Nawaf Al-Owain, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the Cultural Development Fund, said. Al-Owain also revealed that the fund's pavilion represents a valuable platform for entrepreneurs and companies to engage in fruitful talks and share new insights into the cultural funding programs provided by the fund. Related Topics: SRMG Explores Evolution of Saudi Abstraction at Art Week Riyadh Art Week Riyadh: Al Mousa Center Introduces New Artistic Themes Ithra Showcases Magnificent Artworks at Art Week Riyadh Short link : Post Views: 56
Arab News
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Hidden treasures: el Seed unveils 'Continuum' in Diriyah
RIYADH: In conjunction with Art Week Riyadh, French-Tunisian artist Faouzi Khlifi — better known as eL Seed — has transformed the side streets of Diriyah into an interactive art experience. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ His temporary installation 'Continuum' uses his signature style, combining Arabic calligraphy and sculpture with vibrant colors and playful elements. This time, he's inviting the public to embark on a scavenger hunt to uncover seven hidden artworks throughout the area. Visitors can access an online map to guide them to each installation. 'The concept of mixing sculpture and painting was something I wanted to for a few years. I did some experiments from 2019, but I never made it real. Until now,' he told Arab News. 'Continuum' is also deeply rooted in eL Seed's ongoing exploration of identity. 'As a kid growing up in France to Tunisian parents, I felt so many times — people made me feel — that there was something missing, you know? That's why I got into Arabic calligraphy, because of this identity crisis that had as a kid in France,' he says. 'I needed to come back to my roots.' Entirely self-funded and built with the help of a tight-knit local team, 'Continuum' reflects eL Seed's commitment to both community engagement and independent artistic expression. 'I'm an artist. This project for me was really about challenging myself,' he says. 'I was not commissioned. It's a passion project. Over the past few months, he scouted various locations, ultimately selecting seven overlooked walls across Diriyah (because, he says, 'six is too little and eight is too many') — spaces that many pass by daily without noticing. 'I call those 'lost walls.' The wall has a story that people don't even look at,' he says. 'People just walk right by. They don't even see it.' Each of the sites features a unique Arabic quote chosen by the artist, sourced from Arab writers whose messages explore themes of belonging. 'The wall speaks to me and I know which quote to use for it,' el Seed says. The sculptural works were produced in collaboration with Rashed AlShashai, a prominent Saudi artist who has a studio at JAX. They fabricated the custom items on site. 'I had a beautiful team of people who helped me to make it happen. The community helped me. The Rashed AlShashai team, they produced the sculpture in a week,' eL Seed says. Planning for the project began back in September. Initially, eL Seed considered a different location — two hours from Riyadh — before deciding that Diriyah offered the perfect balance of visibility and charm. And the project was, at one point, going to be launched in February, but he decided to launch it at the inaugural Art Week Riyadh instead, to give it 'importance.' The installations will be gone in two weeks. Though temporary, they are meant to spark long-lasting conversations around public space, memory and meaning. 'It's a broken wall,' he says. 'But for me, it's about putting a sculpture where you're not supposed to find it, and the conversation (it sparks) with people in the neighborhood… kids, other people… When I was working, a man was walking back home from the mosque. He's like, 'Why are you painting here? It's like a museum now!'' Alongside the public works, eL Seed is also debuting a new exhibition, which opened April 8, that ties into the themes of the outdoor installations. Having been involved with the Kingdom for the past 15 years, eL Seed says he feels a deep connection to the country. 'I think people here appreciate my work and I appreciate the people here. I enjoy being here. I enjoy coming to Riyadh,' he says. He hopes the public will hunt for the pieces, photograph them and engage with the city in a new way. Both on and offline. 'So it's (art) and a treasure together,' he says. 'And the cool part is: If you want to steal them, you can.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
World of Silence: Riyadh Sculpture Exhibition Celebrates Language of Silence
As part of the inaugural Art Week Riyadh, "A World of Silence" exhibition creates an open artistic dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Egypt through sculptures showcasing unique visions and diverse artistic expressions from artists of both nations, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Focusing on silence as a powerful artistic language, this exhibition offers a contemplative experience. The sculptures on display encourage a sensory engagement with shapes, masses, and spaces, embodying the fusion of concept and material and showcasing sculpture's ability to surpass the limitations of language, time, and culture, SPA said. The sculpture exhibition acts as a visual bridge connecting people and places, exploring the emotional and symbolic depths of the art. It invites quiet contemplation and detailed immersion, encouraging interpretations that move beyond surface form to reveal profound meaning, it said. The exhibition is part of the Art Week Riyadh series of events, which encompasses more than 100 activities in various locations across the capital. It contributes to enhancing the status of visual arts in the cultural landscape, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 towards supporting creative industries and empowering artists locally and internationally, SPA added.
Leaders
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Leaders
SRMG Explores Evolution of Saudi Abstraction at Art Week Riyadh
The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) has introduced a fascinating collection at the inaugural edition of Art Week Riyadh focusing on the evolution of Saudi abstraction, according to Arab News. SRMG's collection is part of 'Collections in Dialogue,' a key exhibition showcasing stunning works by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) and Hayy Jameel. Titled 'Abstract Horizons,' the collection showcases the remarkable artworks of artists like Mohammed Al-Saleem and Abdulhalim Radwi. These artists had laid the foundation of Saudi Arabia's contemporary art movement. SRMG Explores Evolution of Saudi Abstraction at Art Week Riyadh Through the abstract practices of three generations of Saudi artists, the collection highlights the changing aesthetic and intellectual currents of the Kingdom. Interestingly, the exhibition traces back the early beginnings of those artists born in the 1930s and 1940s, whose artworks significantly emerged in the 1990s. Radwi founded modernism movement in Saudi Arabia, meanwhile Al-Saleem established the 'horizonism' movement. Al-Saleem has offered various artworks exploring the geometric depiction of the Saudi skyline and desertscape. Consequently, abstraction has turned into a critical language in the cultural scene. SRMG Explores Evolution of Saudi Abstraction at Art Week Riyadh Importantly, the exhibition moved to the themes of culture, identity and memory with several works from the early 2000s. For example, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman has offered an exceptional mix between architectural elements and heritage and contemporary expression. In addition, Abdullah Hamas has reshaped the Kingdom's landscape through geometric compositions. The event also highlights the pivotal role of Raeda Ashour as one of the first female Saudi abstract artists, who relies on a minimalist yet evocative approach in her work. Related Topics: Art Week Riyadh: Al Mousa Center Introduces New Artistic Themes Ithra Showcases Magnificent Artworks at Art Week Riyadh Art Week Riyadh: Celebrating Saudi Arabia's Flourishing Art Scene Short link : Post Views: 37
