Printmaking takes center stage at JAX District exhibition

Special Printmaking takes center stage at JAX District exhibition
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At Printworks — hosted by the Personage concept store and studio —artists, designers and architects are presenting their print-based creations to the public. (Supplied)
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Updated 24 April 2025
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Printmaking takes center stage at JAX District exhibition

Printmaking takes center stage at JAX District exhibition
  • Live screen-printing studio teaches public about processes
  • Curator urges support and opportunities for local creatives

RIYADH: In a corner of JAX, Riyadh’s art district, there is an open-door policy for art enthusiasts and culture aficionados to explore the diversity of the printmaking world.

At Printworks — hosted by the Personage concept store and studio —artists, designers and architects are presenting their print-based creations to the public.

The aim is to celebrate the work of the artists and engage the public.

When curator Koren Dasoar and guest curator Dana Qabbani came together for the project, they had the aim of “really doing things that are not just for the sake of it.”

Dasoar told Arab News they are not seeking “applause, but really are conscious of people’s feelings, supporting people and building quality.”

They saw a gap in the art community: a space that caters to emerging artists.

Qabbani told Arab News: “Speaking with all of the young artists and the established ones, people are down.

“People feel they’re not doing enough to appear enough … We felt that there’s a disconnect, even with all the amazing things that’ve been happening in the scene.”

Dasoar added: “We shouldn’t wait for a large format activation or event to happen for creativity to happen.

“It’s about it being constant small- to mid-scale activities that allow people that have a growing creative practice to be able to constantly create and showcase.”

Printmaking itself is a unifier of crafts, the curators say.

It “makes you use your hands physically, and therefore the process is longer than just clicking ‘print’ and having the artwork come out.

“There is more of a practice; it’s more sacred because it slows you down. You’re making the art in slow motion,” Qabbani said.

Dasoar explained: “Print is something that I feel is completely interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and cross-medium.

“It’s something that has value in the context of artists, architects, industrial designers, product designers, and even the broader creative spectrum of writers, printers, poets.

“Print is a medium that is far-reaching. It also is something that, from a functional standpoint, allows that to be a degree of repetition, meaning that we can create repeats.

“But it’s also something that I think is quite interesting in the contemporary context, for that it takes different mediums from different practices, funnels it through a digital and non-digital medium, and translates it into something that is physical.”

The initiative aims to bring people back to a core idea of loving creativity and making art, or simply having the desire to create.

For aspiring artists to truly thrive, “there needs to be multiple points of contemplation and multiple points of creation,” Dasoar said.

“There is space for everyone, and we have a shared responsibility to support talent, nurture growth, and create opportunities for success.”

These notions manifested in Personage having an open-door policy for such events.

In this edition, the featured artists include Hayat Osama, Naif Alquba, Mohammed Zkria, Abdullah Al-Amoudi, Salman Najem, Abdullah Al-Khorayef, the sibling-led collective TwoMeem, and Shaddah Design Studio’s Il Mushtarayat.

The program allows members of the public to see how their purchased pieces are produced, as each print is made-to-order. The event also creates a space to ask questions in a more conversational setting.

“Community isn’t built in rows of chairs,” Dasoar said.

Printworks functions in two sections. The first is in existing artworks created by the artist, studio, designer or practitioner, ranging from risograph prints, screenprints, and photographic print.

The other section is an on-site, live screen-printing studio where members of the public are able to drop in and learn more about the artists, the ink, and the printing process itself.

All the works, including the print-on-demand pieces, which will be available on a limited-run basis, are part of an exhibition running until the end of April.

“We have a portion of the artists that are just in the exhibition segment, and we have several artists that have been the collaborators on the screens that are on the print and demand,” Dasoar said.

The event has talks and workshops by various creatives including Dasoar and Cristian Checcanin, the art director at TOLD, the agency behind the design of Saudi Arabia’s riyal logo.

While this is the first edition of Printworks, the goal is to create an event every month with a new, diverse set of artists and curators who can bring in fresh ideas and concepts.

This type of activation is connected to a core pillar of Personage’s mission and identity.

As a space that exists at the intersection of concept store, creative studio, and cultural platform, Personage is fundamentally about bringing people together — bridging disciplines, creative practices, and perspectives.

“We believe that the creative industry truly blossoms when we support its practitioners, while also allowing patrons and buyers to grow, connect, and engage through experiencing — and investing in — the outcomes of creativity.

“In this way, we nurture both the creators and the community that surrounds and uplifts them,” Dasoar said.


Deal signed to promote Saudi cultural heritage 

Deal signed to promote Saudi cultural heritage 
Updated 07 May 2025
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Deal signed to promote Saudi cultural heritage 

Deal signed to promote Saudi cultural heritage 
  • MoC signs agreement with Boutique Group
  • Agreement covers several cultural fields

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has signed a cooperation agreement with Boutique Group to promote the Kingdom’s rich heritage.

Deputy Minister of Culture for National Partnerships and Talent Development Noha Kattan signed the agreement with Boutique Group CEO Christophe Mares in Diriyah. 

Kattan emphasized that the partnership aligns with the ministry’s goals of preserving the nation’s heritage and culture, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

She added that the agreement honors the Kingdom’s rich history and contributes to building a future that values tradition and encourages global cultural creativity.

Mares expressed his company’s pleasure in the new partnership, which will focus on providing a unique and luxurious experience that reflects Saudi Arabia’s cultural identity.

He said the company will represent each region’s culture by incorporating its visual styles, sounds, and traditions into palace operations.

The agreement covers several cultural fields to showcase the Kingdom’s heritage in creative and contemporary ways, the SPA reported.

This will be achieved by integrating Saudi cuisine into the culinary experience, dressing hotel staff in traditional attire, and infusing palace designs with cultural symbols.


Jameela Jamil lands role in new film on Korea

Jameela Jamil lands role in new film on Korea
Updated 07 May 2025
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Jameela Jamil lands role in new film on Korea

Jameela Jamil lands role in new film on Korea

DUBAI: Actress, body positivity activist and presenter Jameela Jamil, known for her role in “The Good Place,” is set to star in “Pyongyang Home Video,” a new drama based on true events. 

She will star alongside “Squid Game” actor Won Ji-an. 

Won Ji-an will star in the movie. (Getty Images) 

The film follows North Korean sisters Nari (Ji-an) and Hana, who grow up secretly watching banned Hollywood movies. When their father’s black market VHS operation is exposed by a neighbor, the sisters are forced to flee the country. As they navigate their dangerous escape, they use scenes from their favorite films to deal with the mental toll the journey takes on them. Years later, Nari meets American talk show host Serena (Jamil), who vows to reunite the sisters on live television — only for the broadcast to take an unforeseen and revealing turn.

Hailing from Imagine Entertainment and South Korea’s Desert Bloom Pictures, the film will be directed by award-winning Korean filmmaker Yoon Sung-hyun, famous for his movie “Bleak Night.”

The screenplay comes from Liz Kerin, an American screenwriter, novelist and acclaimed playwright best known for the vampire series “Night’s Edge.”

 

 

Jamil shared the news on Instagram, writing: “She’s doing a proper movie!!!!”

The actress has a few productions in the works. 

Jamil is set to star in “Hysterical,” a feminist dramedy created by Olivia Lee and loosely based on real-life events involving controversial internet personality Andrew Tate. 

Jamil stars alongside Naomie Harris and Romesh Ranganathan.

Jamil has also lent her voice to the Pixar animated film, “Elio,” which is set for release on June 20. Jamil will be voicing the character of Ambassador Questa.

“Elio” follows an 11-year-old boy named Elio, who accidentally becomes the ambassador for Earth after being transported across the galaxy.

The movie also features the voices of Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Remy Edgerly as his alien best friend Glordon, Academy Award winner Zoe Saldana as Elio’s Aunt Olga, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO.

Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the film is produced by Mary Alice Drumm.


AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris

AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris
Updated 06 May 2025
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AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris

AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris
  • Initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia
  • Artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program

RIYADH: A cultural institution in AlUla plans to select a Saudi artist to host a residency in Paris in an effort to promote French artisanal traditions in the Kingdom.

The artist will be chosen by Basmah Felemban and Gael Charbau, artistic directors of AlUla’s Villa Hegra.

A collaboration with the Mobilier National, a French governmental body that produces and preserves artisanal furniture, the initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia.

The artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program.

Villa Hegra is a planned initiative that hosts a variety of artist residencies, creative spaces for cultural initiatives, an exhibition hall, a cinema and performance art studio.

The partnership between Villa Hegra and the Mobilier National will also involve displaying a selection of design pieces from the French organization’s collections at AlUla.

Herve Lemoine, the president of Manufactures Nationales, said: “This partnership continues the Mobilier National’s rich tradition of collaboration with cultural villas, bringing French artisanal excellence to creative spaces around the world.”

Feriel Fodil, the CEO of Villa Hegra, said: “This long-term collaboration also strengthens Villa Hegra’s primary mission: To promote artistic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, while celebrating their respective artisanal heritages.”

Villa Hegra was officially announced in an intergovernmental agreement signed on Dec. 4, 2021, by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, then-French minister for foreign affairs.

One of Villa Hegra’s goals is to foster cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France.

Fodil previously told Arab News’ French edition: “It is a state-to-state initiative that represents the willingness of two parties to collaborate at the cultural level.”


Deal signed to promote traditional arts in Saudi Arabia

Deal signed to promote traditional arts in Saudi Arabia
Updated 06 May 2025
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Deal signed to promote traditional arts in Saudi Arabia

Deal signed to promote traditional arts in Saudi Arabia
  • Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and Namaa Almunawara sign strategic MoU
  • Aim is to advance the creative economy and preserve national cultural heritage

RIYADH: The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and Namaa Almunawara signed a strategic memorandum of understanding in Riyadh to foster collaboration in supporting traditional arts.

The aim is to advance the creative economy and preserve national cultural heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The MoU focuses on key areas: building human capacity through training programs and workshops, offering consulting services, and designing specialized initiatives.

It also aims to strengthen the handicrafts sector by launching entrepreneurial initiatives, enhancing craft products, and empowering emerging talents.

Additionally, it includes organizing local and international events and developing community-focused traditional arts initiatives.

The institute plays a key role in promoting Saudi traditional arts locally and internationally, supporting artisans, and encouraging the teaching and development of these crafts.

The Ministry of Culture has designated 2025 the Year of Handicrafts to celebrate cultural heritage and promote the creation, preservation, and modern relevance of handicrafts. It will host events, exhibitions, educational programs, and competitions throughout the year.


Gerard Butler to touch down in Riyadh for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ premiere

Gerard Butler to touch down in Riyadh for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ premiere
Updated 06 May 2025
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Gerard Butler to touch down in Riyadh for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ premiere

Gerard Butler to touch down in Riyadh for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ premiere

DUBAI: Riyadh will host the first stop of the international press tour for “How to Train Your Dragon,” the live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s film franchise, with actor Gerard Butler set to arrive in the Kingdom this May.

Butler returns as Stoick the Vast in the upcoming film, slated for release on June 12. 

Butler returns as Stoick the Vast in the upcoming film, slated for release on June 12. (Supplied)

“How to Train Your Dragon” is directed by three-time Oscar nominee Dean DeBlois, the filmmaker behind the original animated trilogy.

“On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking societ,” the film’s logline reads. 

“As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader,” the logline adds. 
The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones).