Ithra showcases historic Islamic treasures at second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Ithra showcases historic Islamic treasures at second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
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This year’s biennale, titled And All That Is In Between, explores the profound ways faith is experienced, expressed and celebrated. (Supplied)
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Updated 28 January 2025
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Ithra showcases historic Islamic treasures at second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Ithra showcases historic Islamic treasures at second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
  • Ancient edict, prayer carpet fragment, religious manuscript among artifacts
  • Event explores ways faith is experienced, celebrated

JEDDAH: Historic Islamic artifacts are being displayed by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture at the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale currently underway in Jeddah.

Running until May 25 at the iconic Western Hajj Terminal, this year’s biennale, titled “And All That Is In Between,” explores the profound ways faith is experienced, expressed and celebrated.

Pieces on display include an edict from the Ottoman Sultan Mustafa III, who reigned from 1757 to 1774, regarding the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb; a prayer carpet fragment; a tafsir (interpretation of the Qur’an) manuscript; a folding manuscript stand; a mosque lamp; and a large wooden minbar (pulpit).

Ithra, which is renowned as a global leader in Islamic arts and heritage, will feature its pieces in the biennale’s Al-Madar section. This exhibition brings together contributions from prominent local and international institutions, emphasizing the richness and diversity of Islamic culture.

Farah Abushullaih, the head of the museum at Ithra, said: “It is a privilege for Ithra’s Islamic collection to be featured once again at this prestigious biennale, which celebrates the diversity and depth of Islamic arts.

“Our participation underscores our ongoing commitment to preserving and sharing the rich heritage of Islamic art with a global audience while expanding knowledge of key concepts of Islamic traditions that have shaped and continue to shape Islamic identities today.”

The artifacts on display, which were carefully curated in collaboration with Heather Ecker and Marika Sardar from Al-Madar’s curatorial team, reflect the theme of waqf. This fundamental Islamic concept involves dedicating assets for communal benefit, supporting religious, educational, or charitable initiatives.

Ithra’s participation aligns with its mission to inspire, enrich and foster appreciation for Islamic heritage through various initiatives, including its triennial Islamic Art Conference and major exhibitions. Its current “In Praise of the Artisan" exhibition showcases over 130 historic and contemporary works, many of which are on public display for the first time.

With its robust programming of lectures, workshops, and live demonstrations, Ithra continues to honor the past and present, positioning Islamic craftsmanship as a living tradition. Its efforts underscore the institution’s role as a global champion of cultural exchange and creativity.

The Islamic Arts Biennale, hosted by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, provides a platform for exploring Islamic arts and traditions.

The event’s first edition in 2023, at which Ithra also participated, attracted more than 600,000 visitors.


Medhat Shafik’s ‘Odyssey’ on show at Riyadh’s Errm Gallery

Medhat Shafik’s ‘Odyssey’ on show at Riyadh’s Errm Gallery
Updated 18 February 2025
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Medhat Shafik’s ‘Odyssey’ on show at Riyadh’s Errm Gallery

Medhat Shafik’s ‘Odyssey’ on show at Riyadh’s Errm Gallery

RIYADH: Riyadh’s Errm Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Italy-based Egyptian artist Medhat Shafik until March 31.

Titled “Odyssey,” the showcase features select works by the artist who won Egypt’s first Venice Biennale award in 1995.

Titled “Odyssey,” the showcase features select works by the artist. (AN Photo)

Shafik, born in El-Badari, Egypt, in 1956, has lived and worked in Italy since 1976. He graduated from Milan’s fine arts Brera Academy with a diploma in painting and set design. Shafik built up a reputation for blending the colors and lines of Orientalist art forms with the visual vocabulary of Western avant-garde movements.

“This is my first exhibition in Riyadh,” Shafik remarked to Arab News. “I found it very welcoming and hospitable. This was expected, as the people of the Gulf and the Arab world have a long history dating back to the time of the Pharaohs. I feel a close connection between these ancient civilizations; it resonates with my travels.”

Riyadh’s Errm Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Italy-based Egyptian artist Medhat Shafik. (AN Photo)

Inspired by the poetry of Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, the exhibition explores the concept of “life (as) a continuous journey, filled with experiences that enrich our understanding of existence,” the artist explained.

Known for his use of mixed media, the artist often employs materials that have been discarded.  “I feel like an archaeologist, digging to uncover fragments of history,” he said.

One unique piece depicts an archaeological formation resembling a half-moon, with mixed media mounted on a large-scale canvas.


Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition
Updated 18 February 2025
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Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition

Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition
  • Host of winter entertainment options celebrate ancient Saudi city’s history, identity 
  • Food, luxury retail, hands-on heritage activities among visitor attractions

RIYADH: Layali Diriyah, the immersive winter entertainment experience, is offering a range of cultural and culinary experiences that celebrate the identity and history of the ancient city of Diriyah.

Now in its fourth edition, the event offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants.

Asma Al-Shehri, one of the visitors, told Arab News: “The place is absolutely stunning, and it’s even more well-prepared than I expected. What impressed me the most was the incredible hospitality — the organizers are everywhere, ready to assist and welcome you.”

Layali Diriyah opened on Feb. 12, 2025 as part of Diriyah Season 24/25.

Food lovers can indulge in a selection of flavors at six cafes and nine restaurants, featuring both local and international cuisines. The event also includes 13 luxury retail stores, giving visitors access to renowned brands, unique handcrafted items, and winter-inspired food and beverage stalls.

A highlight of this year’s event is the “Chef’s Table Experience,” where visitors can enjoy exclusive dishes prepared for the occasion. This fine-dining experience, with its elegant winter atmosphere, adds a luxurious touch to the vibrant energy of Layali Diriyah.

Standout features of this year’s event include interactive art installations such as the palm frond bridge. Other attractions include traditional swings and live folk performances.

Visitors can also engage in hands-on heritage activities that celebrate Diriyah’s historical significance, allowing them to experience the traditions and customs that define the region.

Entry to Layali Diriyah is SR185 ($49) per person. Alternatively, visitors can book a table at one of the participating restaurants and pay the entrance fee through The Chefz app. The event also provides a shuttle service from designated parking areas.


Inside the AlMuqtani Gallery at the Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Inside the AlMuqtani Gallery at the Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Updated 15 February 2025
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Inside the AlMuqtani Gallery at the Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Inside the AlMuqtani Gallery at the Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
  • The gallery showcases works from the collections of Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saudi collector Rifaat Sheikh El-Ard 

RIYADH: The second edition of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation's Islamic Arts Biennale is themed “And All That Is In Between.” The title draws from the Qur’anic verse “And God created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between” and, of the biennale’s seven sections, the one that arguably best represents this connection between the earthly and spiritual realms is AlMuqtani (which means homage in Arabic).  

Here, curator Amin Jaffer showcases the connection of the material world to the spiritual realm through rare pieces from two notable collections: those of Qatari royal Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saudi collector Rifaat Sheikh El-Ard, owner of the Furusiyya Collection. 

Curator Amin Jaffer. (Supplied)

The Al-Thani Collection, of which Jaffer is also the director, reflects the varied tastes of its founder, who began collecting works of art at the age of 18. Today, it includes more than 5,000 objects spanning multiple civilizations and geographies and is known for its superb collection of precious materials and objects. Its breadth and vision reflect Sheikh Hamad's early exposure to museums such as the Louvre in Paris, which he visited with his mother as a young boy.  

Art from the Islamic world, however, holds particular importance for Sheikh Hamad, reflecting his own culture and upbringing as well as his ties and inspiration drawn from his friendships with Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, founder of Dar Al-Athar al-Islamiyyah in Kuwait, and Sheikh Saoud bin Mohamed Al-Thani, who developed the collection of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Jaffer says that Sheikh’s Hamad’s acquisitions are guided by the aesthetic and cultural significance of each piece, regardless of its era. 

“The Al-Thani collection has more than 5,000 works art, from neolithic to contemporary,” Jaffer tells Arab News. “The Islamic collection is relatively small, and what we are showing is the highlights from that part of the collection, focusing on the variety, whether manuscripts, miniature painting works in metal, or glass jewelry.” 

The AlMuqtani section of the art fair. (Diriyah Biennale Foundation)

Selections from the collection have previously been exhibited at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and highlights are now housed in a dedicated space at l'Hôtel de la Marine, a historic monument in Paris. 

The second part of the gallery is dedicated to a selection of objects of chivalric culture, including arms and armor from the Islamic world from El-Ard’s collection, which he began in 1980. He decided to concentrate his acquisitions on the often overlooked area of weaponry from the Islamic world. The collection now contains more than 1,000 pieces, including rare examples of some of the most remarkable Islamic weapons ever crafted.   

 A jade jug from Central Asia, created sometime in the first half of the 16th century CE, part of the Al-Thani collection. (Supplied)

While the collection’s primary focus is on Islamic arms and armor, it has now expanded to include exceptional pieces of metalwork and other materials, many of which have never been publicly shown until now. 

Both collections comprise objects ranging from the Umayyad to Ottoman periods exuding breathtaking beauty and meticulously rendered craftsmanship.  

“AlMuqtani is very much about beauty,” says Jaffer. “The material or the tangible comes across. Unlike the other galleries, which have very strong stories, or have objects grouped to tell a very particular message, that is not the case here. It’s about the individual works of art and the taste and vision of the collectors. When people ask me what unites these objects, I would say the unifying factor is the collectors. 

“Both men are deeply, deeply involved in every aspect of the collection,” he continues. “But the most important point is acquisition. These pieces reflect, above all, the taste and the sensibilities of these two men. Through the curation of this gallery, we wanted visitors to become lost in the experience of the aesthetics of each object.” 


Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025
Updated 13 February 2025
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Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

DUBAI: Akon and Lil Baby are set to perform at the Formula E Prix this weekend in Jeddah, MDLBEAST announced on Thursday.

The global music powerhouse is bringing the stars to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 14 and 15, adding a dynamic entertainment element to the high-speed racing event.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jeddah E-Prix (@jeddaheprix)

Akon, the Senegalese American singer, producer and entrepreneur known for hits like “Smack That” and “Lonely,” will take the stage on Feb. 14.

Sharing the night with him are Egyptian singer Ruby and rap sensation Wegz.

On Feb. 15, Atlanta rap star Lil Baby — renowned for chart-toppers like “Drip Too Hard” and “Woah” — will bring his signature energy to the stage.

The night will also feature Kuwaiti group Miami Band and Egyptian electronic trio Disco Misr.
 


Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’

Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’
Updated 15 February 2025
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Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’

Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’
  • ‘I’ve been dabbling with the fantastical,’ says Hana Maatouk

RIYADH: Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk loves giving gifts. As a child, she presented each member of her family with a comic, abstract doodle that she felt embodied them. “I would narrate my feelings or my response to an event through images,” she tells Arab News.  

Now, her work has drawn crowds in New York to her first solo show, the conclusion of a four-month residency with downtown art space Chinatown Soup. 

Through her vibrant, surrealist work — which is heavily inspired by the 12th-century Andalusian mystic Ibn Arabi and his philosophical concept of divine time and space —  Maatouk explores Saudi Arabia’s evolving socio-political landscape and her personal memories of growing up there. In that solo exhibition, “Worlds Within,” which took place last month, Maatouk used memory not as the main narrative, but as a way to examine the present.  

"Memory from Umrah," 2022. (Supplied)

“Initially, I thought I was going to archive my personal memory and make fantastical images based on my personal narrative. But when I started, I realized that my fascination with memory actually goes beyond myself,” she said.  

During her residency at Chinatown Soup, Maatouk intended to create a picture for every significant memory she has, even if it was just a quick sketch. And what she realized in the process was that her relationship to memory is very much rooted in emotions and images rather than language.  

"The Rocks Are Witness," 2024. (Supplied)

She came into her residency with the work she had created for her thesis, in which the predominant color was a bold red. Her later works slowly developed out of that, and even referenced the doodles she had made as a child.  

One piece, a drawing in charcoal, is a depiction of her memory of Umrah, which she performed with her father and brother when she was around 12 years old. There are no photographs of their trip, so the painting was purely based on her memory. “I still recall the feeling of the white tile beneath my feet. Our pace. My eyes observing, witnessing,” she says. “When I showed that picture to my brother, he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s how I felt it as well.’”  

This piece became “significant in the development of my visual language,” she adds, “because of the fleeting figures. If you look towards the top and the peripheries, the ‘figure’ turns into a simple arc, which becomes a unit on its own. Visually, I reduced the information down to the most basic cell that could still represent a figure but also carry many meanings in its abstraction.”  

"In Two," 2025. (Supplied)

In her discussions with others about her work, a recurring theme was just how unreliable memories can be. This led the artist to explore other questions, such as why we define memory based on what it is not.  

“It’s almost like we’ve pitted memory against fact and made it unreliable in its definition. But what if its power is that it can transcend time and space — that it exists, actually, outside of those two things? It incorporates those two things. But it exists beyond them. It’s timeless,” she says.  

Hana Maatouk. (Supplied)

While the show consists mainly of paintings, Maatouk has trained in many mediums, including sculpture, installation, printmaking, and photography. “I don’t have one particular medium that is ‘it’ forever, I think it’s just a matter of what language fits the idea that I’m working with,” she says. “With painting, most recently, I’ve been dabbling with the fantastical, the fictional, and the mythological, because painting, in its essence, is an illusion. You’re making three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional plane. It already has elements of the fantastical embedded in it. So, when I was writing these narratives about the changes I was observing in Saudi Arabia, it made sense to do it in painting.”  

As the daughter of a Saudi father and Spanish mother, Maatouk says there are aspects of her cultural background, history, and perspective that she’s eager to translate through her work. The challenge is taking these elements outside of their cultural realm to new audiences.  

“My audience (for the latest exhibition was) a New York audience, and actually, at the opening, my friend Sarah, who’s American, brought a friend to the show, and I asked her which piece resonated, and she pointed to the one of Umrah,” she says. 

“What makes a good work for me… I think about it in terms of an emotional transfer. I love to see the work resonating with people in an emotional way, where they feel like something in them was seen in the work.”