Latest news with #UCCA
Saudi Gazette
16-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Saudi Gazette
Antenna: Saudi artist Ahmed Mater opens first solo exhibition in China
SHNGHAI — The Saudi Ministry of Culture, through the Visual Arts Commission, has partnered with China's UCCA to present Antenna, the first major solo exhibition in China by Saudi contemporary artist Ahmed Mater. The exhibition will run from March 8 to July 8, 2025, at UCCA Edge in Shanghai as part of the Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025. Showcasing over 100 works, Antenna offers insight into Mater's artistic journey, reflecting on themes of heritage, modernity, and social change. A key figure in Saudi Arabia's contemporary art movement, Mater's work has been exhibited in major institutions worldwide, including a solo exhibition at Christie's London in July 2024, which drew international attention. The exhibition is one of several initiatives under the Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025, aimed at fostering cultural exchange and strengthening artistic dialogue between the two countries. By introducing Mater's work to a new audience, the exhibition contributes to a broader understanding of Saudi contemporary art while reinforcing cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and China. — SG
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Culture Ministry Launches Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year
The Ministry of Culture has announced the launch of the Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025 in China, highlighting the strong, decades-long friendship and cooperation between the two nations. This cultural year marks a significant step in enhancing bilateral cultural exchange, featuring a series of events designed to enrich the cultural landscapes of both Saudi Arabia and China, and to deepen the historical ties between their peoples. Last month, the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the Saudi Embassy, organized a Founding Day celebration in Beijing. The event showcased Saudi heritage through artisan demonstrations of traditional handicrafts and displays of Arabic calligraphy. In celebration of the Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year, the Ministry of Culture's Visual Arts Commission, in partnership with UCCA, is hosting an exhibition of renowned Saudi contemporary artist Ahmed Mater. Taking place from March 8 to July 8, 2025, at the UCCA Edge in Shanghai, the exhibition titled Antenna marks the artist's first major solo show in China. Featuring over a hundred artworks that represent Mater's artistic practice and cultural reflections, the show traces the artist's creative journey and offers a comprehensive view of his oeuvre. Mater is one of the most celebrated Saudi artists who has contributed significantly to the Kingdom's contemporary art scene and visual arts eco-system. His work has been presented in many notable museums and institutions, including Christie's in London in July 2024.
Axios
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Chicago Ukrainians call for truth and support
Illinois Ukrainians are outraged by recent actions and comments by President Trump on the Ukraine-Russia war and are calling for continued U.S. support. The big picture: With more than 100,000 Ukrainian-Americans in the metropolitan area, Chicago hosts one of the largest communities in the nation. State of play: This week, U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine and preparing for a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But, so far, Ukraine has been left out of the talks. Driving the news: Ukrainian-Americans and their allies will gather at the Wrigley Building at 4pm Saturday and march to the Water Tower to commemorate the third anniversary of Russia's invasion. The march is organized by the nonpartisan Illinois division of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA). Specific UCCA Illinois demands include: Requiring that Ukraine be an "active participant" in the negotiations. Negotiating a peace that is "fair, just and reliable," leaving Ukraine with "security and sovereignty" as well as "economic and diplomatic support." Accountability for Russian war crimes and a commitment to NATO membership for Ukraine. What they're saying: This week, Trump falsely claimed Ukraine started the war against Russia and said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is "a dictator without elections" with approval ratings of 4%. The other side: " Ukraine did not start the war, support for Zelensky is over 50%, and Zelensky was democratically elected," UCCA Illinois president Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak tells Axios. "The reason Ukraine did not have elections by now is because Russia invaded Ukraine, and we have a martial law, and it is consistent with Ukraine's constitution during martial law not to have elections." Zoom in: Dmytriv-Kapeniak notes that the Ukrainian community is also concerned about the fate of more than 30,000 refugees who arrived in Chicago under a Biden-era program. "There's a lot of anxiety that the program will be terminated because [the refugees] cannot return back home. Their houses are destroyed and there's still bombing going on in Ukraine every day," she says. During a recent local Ukrainian unity meeting, Dmytriv-Kapeniak asked attendees to stand up if they knew someone who was killed or injured in the war or was on the front lines and, she says, "90% of them stood up." She is encouraging Chicagoans who have an opinion on the issue to reach out to their elected officials, especially Republicans. The intrigue: Ukraine may still have some leverage with the U.S. because it contains 5% of the world's rare earth minerals necessary for making equipment including capacitors in electronic devices and the brakes on jet aircraft.
