Latest news with #VisualArtsCommission
Arab News
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Sharp shooting: Highlights from ‘In a New Light,' the Kingdom Photography Awards exhibit
DUBAI: The exhibition of work by the 30 winners of the Kingdom Photography Awards runs until May 25 at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Khaled Khazim Sarai Al-Ghaithi Al-Shammari 'A Serene Night' This year's Kingdom Photography Awards received more than 1,300 entries from Saudi Arabia-based photographers, and a total of more than 6,000 photographs. 'Each image submitted reflects a distinct vision — capturing moments that inspire, challenge, and celebrate the richness of human experience,' Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, writes in the exhibition catalogue. 'The remarkable work featured in the exhibition … stands as a testament to what happens when vision meets talent.' Al-Shammari's winning image, the photographer writes in the catalogue, shows 'Hasalat, located in the southwest of Qassim near Dharya, captured in a serene night where trees stand still beneath the stars.' Huda Ali Al-Neb 'Riyadh; Saturated' Al-Neb won for this image from her series that 'playfully explores the beauty and significance of Saudi architecture, a theme that has fascinated me since childhood,' she writes. 'In first grade, I learned that the traditional buildings I grew up with were made from mud, and I wondered what they would look like if built with colored sand instead. This series … brings to life those childhood fantasies.' Al-Neb adds that she hopes to expand her project to 'showcase historic buildings across Saudi Arabia.' Marwin Pastores Javier 'Coffee and Tea' 'Each of the 30 selected photographers reveal the possibilities of the medium, demonstrating its power to inspire, provoke, and inform,' curator Mohamed Somji writes in the exhibition catalogue. '(They) challenge traditional notions of what makes a 'good' photograph. (The works are) attentive to the rhythm of places, daily rituals, social habits, and connections between people.' Javier's winning image shows a roadside vendor of hot beverages in Tabuk. Mohammed Othman M Alshahrani 'An Evening of Baloot' Alshahrani's winning image, shot in the town of Bisha in Asir, shows the photographer's father, uncles, brothers and cousins playing the popular trick card game Baloot, which, Alshahrani says in his artist's statement, is 'a tradition in many homes and gatherings, sparking lively competition and bonding.' Kawthar Ali Ibrahim Alghasham 'A Moment of Waiting' The images in the exhibition, curator Mohamed Somji writes, 'reveal character through subtle interactions, glimpsing personal, spiritual, and familial reflections, or showing known scenes from unexpected angles.' Alghasham's winning image is an example of the latter. 'As sunlight floods King Fahd Airport's lounge, a solitary man's pause defies the frenetic nature of travel,' Alghasham writes in his artist's statement. Salman Fahad Alanazi 'After the Storm, 2030' Alanazi's dramatic image of a sandstorm hitting Saudi Arabia's capital was taken before the launch of Saudi Vision 2030. Since then, he says, 'with major projects like the Riyadh Green Project, which reduced dust in the city, alongside the creation and planting of nature reserves,' no similar 'Hollywood-like dust wave' has been seen in Riyadh.
Business Wire
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
From Tradition to Modernity: Kingdom Photography Award Frames Saudi Narratives
BUSINESS WIRE)--The Visual Arts Commission has launched two evocative photography exhibitions at Hayy Jameel in Jeddah— 'Hay Ainek – In a New Light' and 'When the Fog Whispers' —marking the third edition of the Kingdom Photography Award, a platform celebrating powerful visual storytelling from across Saudi Arabia. The award received over 1,300 submissions and more than 6,000 images, showcasing talent from across the Kingdom. 'Hay Ainek – In a New Light' features 30 standout winners who captured Saudi culture through a contemporary lens. Among them, Huda Ali Al Neb reimagined Najdi architecture with vibrant hues, challenging the traditional view of colorless mudbrick homes. Mohammed Aljuraybi portrayed a potter at work, reflecting on craftsmanship as a bridge between generations. Kawthar Ali Ibrahim photographed a man sitting in an empty airport lounge, highlighting quiet introspection in a space built for transience. Hayat Osamah and Sawsan Abdullah used black and white photography to explore serenity, resilience, and the connection between nature and identity—Abdullah's work is especially notable as she overcame physical challenges to tell layered, meaningful stories. Judged by a distinguished panel— Kholood Saleh Al-Bakr, Sara Al-Mutlaq (Saudi Arabia), Rola Khayyat (Qatar/USA), Roi Saade (Lebanon), and Shannon Ghannam (Australia)—the award celebrated images that combined technical craft with emotional depth. Running alongside it, 'When the Fog Whispers' features commissioned work from Abdulmajeed Al Roudhan, Elham Al Dawsari, Lina Geoushy, Mohamed Mahdy, and Hicham Gardaf, capturing poetic, personal reflections of the Aseer highlands. A robust public program accompanies the exhibitions, including interactive workshops for photographers of all levels, artist talks, and community events aimed at fostering artistic engagement. These workshops offer a platform for aspiring photographers to gain hands-on experience, receive guidance from industry experts, and enhance their skills in various aspects of visual storytelling. Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, reflected, 'The Kingdom Photography Award began as an initiative to spotlight local talent and now reflects a bold, confident visual arts scene in Saudi Arabia. Through exhibitions, mentorship, and storytelling, we're nurturing a generation of artists deeply rooted in identity and ready to engage the world. Photography is capturing the soul of our nation—its heritage, its people, its future—as we build a creative ecosystem where Saudi stories take center stage globally.' These exhibitions reaffirm photography's power to preserve, document, and connect—positioning Saudi Arabia as a rising hub for artistic expression. About The Ministry of Culture Saudi Arabia has a vast history of arts and culture. The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia's cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the Ministry works towards the support of and preservation of a vibrant culture that is true to its past and looks to the future by cherishing heritage and unleashing new and inspiring forms of expression for all. Find the Ministry of Culture on social media: X @MOCSaudi_En (English) | Instagram @mocsaudi
The National
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Ibrahim Al Hasawi was a pioneer of Saudi cinema – and now he's one of its biggest stars
Ibrahim Al Hasawi has dreamt of this moment for decades. The Saudi actor, 60, grew up hoping that some day his country's cinema would be recognised the world over. Now that it is finally happening, with streaming hits and festival accolades year after year, Al Hasawi has found himself not as merely an early pioneer but a central figure in the Saudi creative renaissance. He tells The National: 'It's amazing. In just a few short years, we've seen a major leap in Saudi filmmaking.' In April, Al Hasawi received a lifetime achievement award at the Saudi Film Festival, an accolade he does not take lightly. A lifelong film enthusiast, Al Hasawi started out in theatre before moving on to a prolific television career. Having acted in dozens of Gulf series, Al Hasawi is now starring in major film productions that are screened at festivals around the world. Speaking to The National, Al Hasawi says Saudi Arabia has come a long way since he was a budding young actor. 'In the early days, our theatre was male-dominated,' he explains. 'Female characters were rarely shown on stage, only mentioned, like: 'Where's your mother?' 'She's in the kitchen.' Or: 'Where's your sister?' 'She went to school.'' 'These characters existed only through dialogue, not presence. It was more like radio drama.' Al Hasawi credits the kingdom's Vision 2030 for revolutionising the arts in the past 10 years. 'We now have the Theatre Commission, the Film Commission, and the Visual Arts Commission. There's been a real transformation. Technology has entered the theatre scene. The current moment is exciting. I haven't done theatre in a while, but now I'm seriously considering it,' he says. Hobal is the latest film to star Al Hasawi. Set in 1990, weeks before the beginning of the Gulf War, it follows a Saudi family that still lives in the desert. Al Hasawi portrays the family's patriarch, a hard-headed hardliner who believes there is nothing good to be gained from living in the city and accepting the advancement of society. Al Hasawi said he was intrigued when the director Abdulaziz Al Shalahi called him about the role. 'He's strict but not heartless,' he says of his character, 'His values and convictions might not be 'right' by universal standards, but they define him. He's a classic elder figure, very much shaped by his own era and beliefs.' The film is equal parts period piece and family drama. The family elder has three sons – one who completely agrees with him on everything, a second who is beginning to doubt and a third who has abandoned the family and moved to the city. Al Hasawi says he has met people who lived like his character. He adds: 'I grew up in a village in Al Ahsa, and I knew people like him. They may not have been as strict, but many lived and died in the same village without ever leaving. 'I remember when radios first appeared – some people said Judgment Day was coming because 'iron had started speaking'.' Then with TV, people believed it was another sign of the apocalypse. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, would cover her face when a male news anchor came on screen. It was all so new and strange.' Saudi Arabia is now a major player in film production. Films from the kingdom have been screened at Cannes, Venice and other film festivals. Al Hasawi says this makes him very optimistic. 'I remember when we used to make short films with limited resources and no funding. But once the Film Commission was established, there was strong support – both for short and feature films,' he says. 'Now we have fantasy films, action, comedy – we're telling our stories. This is crucial – getting Saudi artistic voices out to the world. For years, we've watched international films in theatres or on TV. Now Saudi art is reaching global audiences.' Al Hasawi has appeared in 45 theatre productions, 90 television series and 15 films. He has not acted in a theatre production for a while, but misses the stage every day, likening the experience to being at a football match. 'Sure, you can watch it on TV, but being in the stadium is a completely different experience. It's immersive. The emotions of the crowd, the cheers, the reactions – all of that adds layers to the moment,' Al Hasawi says, 'Theatre is the same. When you're there, it's an event, a connection.'
Arab News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Photography competition winners celebrate Saudi landscapes and stories
JEDDAH: Two new photography exhibitions in Jeddah are celebrating the work of the winners of a competition that awarded a total of SR400,000 in prize money to participants. 'Hayy Aynak — In a New Light' and 'When the Fog Whispers' were opened by the Visual Arts Commission at Hayy Jameel on Wednesday. The exhibitions will run until May 25 in conjunction with the third Kingdom Photography Award, which began earlier this year. The award has become a prominent platform for capturing the spirit of Saudi Arabia through the lens of its creative talents. This exhibition celebrates the Kingdom's natural beauty, cultural richness and artistic innovation through photography. The competition invites artists to explore a specific region of the Kingdom through their work. Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, told Arab News: 'The idea is to start to create through the lens of different photographers and their creative process, a body of work that captures the richness of the landscapes of Saudi Arabia through different languages of expression, different creative processes, different types of photography and storytelling to really create a visual odyssey almost through the landscape, the people and the environment of Saudi Arabia today.' She added: 'If you look in today's exhibition, you'll see some of the photographers have chosen to look at natural environment, landscape. Others have chosen to look at population and populated environments, so to speak, whereas others are really looking at tradition and history. So, with each engagement, we start to have this beautiful journey.' The 'Hayy Aynak' exhibition presents the winning works from the third running of the award, which received more than 1,300 submissions and awarded a total of SR400,000 in prizes. The exhibition celebrates the aesthetics and diverse landscapes of the Kingdom — from the buzz of urban life to the stillness of the desert. An international jury evaluated the submissions and selected the most compelling and meaningful stories based on creativity, technical proficiency and the narrative power of visual storytelling. The second exhibition, 'When the Fog Whispers,' takes visitors on a personal and emotional journey to the Asir region, long a source of artistic inspiration thanks to its mist-covered mountains and deep-rooted cultural heritage. Five artists were selected to create special photography projects that reflected their relationships with the Asir landscape. The resulting works are visually captivating and rich in reflection, documentation and human connection. Mohammed Sumji, the curator of the third outing of the award, told Arab News about the experience of bringing photographers together to explore the distinctive landscape of Asir. 'We selected the region of Asir, and the five photographers that we selected were known to me, and I basically selected them based on their potential to make works especially around Asir because they practice dealing with either stories of people's lived experiences or landscapes. I'm very happy with how it's come out.' Saudi photographer, Abdulmajeed Al-Ruwaidan, chose the theme 'Roadside Stations' for his submission, documenting the architecture of old Saudi gas stations before they disappeared under modern development. Elham Al-Dossary, also from Saudi Arabia, chose the theme 'Crossing Asir,' blending her late father's archive as a photographer with contemporary images to create a visual narrative that meditates on memory and transformation. For the past two years, Ilham has been helping her father archive his work, and a small part of that archive is dedicated to his time in Asir. 'He has an archive at home that dates back to the 1960s and '70s,' she told Arab News. She continued: 'The archive became a way to view Asir through a personal and familial lens. 'There's a connection between me and my father — through the land, through the people — and I also wanted to explore more stories, not just about him, but about life there and the areas we photographed, like Al-Habla and others.' Mohamed Mahdy, from Egypt, titled his collection 'When the Land Loves You.' It is a poignant portrayal of the emotional connection between the people of Asir and their land, captured through nostalgic and heartfelt imagery. Lina Geoushy, also from Egypt, called her collection 'Daughters of Al-Qatt.' Hers is a colorful celebration of the women who sustain the traditional Al-Qatt Al-Asiri artform, recognized by UNESCO. Her photographs honor this living tradition. She told Arab News: 'This photo is especially important to me because it's in this very rich village, Rijal Almaa … it plays on the idea of the inside and the outside, the internal spaces or imaginaries and the landscape; the lady in the photo is Sharifa Mahdy, who's been practicing this art for 25 years, and she learnt it from the famous Fatima Abou Gahas. 'Apart from it being a life tradition, Qatt art has healing powers … it gives them confidence and positivity and it's sort of like a refuge for them.' Hicham Gardaf, from Morocco, created a collection titled 'The Road to the Juniper.' It is a meticulously crafted visual journey through juniper forests, where nature becomes a silent cultural archive filled with untold stories. He told Arab News: 'I imagined this massive juniper tree with roots spreading across Asir — like routes we travel, all leading back to this one tree that connects the land, the people and their stories.' Throughout the exhibition period, the Visual Arts Commission will also host a series of interactive workshops and panel discussions featuring local and international experts. These sessions aim to create space for dialogue, skill development and knowledge exchange, enriching visitors' experience and fostering artistic and professional growth across various fields of the visual arts.
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.
