Saudi contemporary artist Sultan bin Fahad: ‘My medium is storytelling’ 

Saudi contemporary artist Sultan bin Fahad: ‘My medium is storytelling’ 
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Updated 05 September 2024
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Saudi contemporary artist Sultan bin Fahad: ‘My medium is storytelling’ 

Saudi contemporary artist Sultan bin Fahad: ‘My medium is storytelling’ 

DUBAI: The Riyadh-born, New York-based contemporary artist Sultan bin Fahad has been creating artworks since childhood. But, he says, he didn’t know that’s what he was doing for a long time.  

“I always felt like I had a certain creativity in me,” he tells Arab News. “I was making what I called ‘things.’ But it was a hobby, you know? I thought it was like interior design — decorating my room. I didn’t know it could be considered art.” 

At the time, bin Fahad was focused on building a career in the navy and on taekwondo. He had realistic hopes of competing in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he says. But a series of injuries put paid to both of those dreams, and left him wondering what to do next.  

He ended up studying business in San Francisco, where his accommodation was close to an art academy.  

“I’d pass by and see their work; that was the first time I was exposed to modern and contemporary art. And I realized, ‘Oh. So whatever I’ve been doing is probably considered some sort of art.’” He laughs. “That’s how I became aware of my ability to create artworks.” 

He has become known particularly for his intricate and colorful beaded works, often created by artisans from the Hausa tribe in Nigeria.  

“They have an interesting story,” he says. “They are Muslims, they study the Qur’an. But they kept the language of their tribe. They know all about Saudi. You can actually find descendants of the same tribe in Jeddah and Makkah. Back in the day, they travelled or went for Hajj and they never left. They stayed there for three or four generations.”  

Beyond the physical side of his work, however, he says the most important thing is that each piece tells a story.  

“I always say my medium is storytelling. I hate it when you show someone something and they say, ‘OK, what am I looking at?’ That means you definitely failed to show any emotion in your work. Like, I still make abstract paintings, and there is basically nothing to say about them. But people forget that there is an emotion when you look at something: you might feel happy, you might feel sad, you might be attracted to the colors. But if you look at any piece and you don’t get any idea in the first 10 seconds, then I failed.” 

Here, bin Fahad talks us through some of his most significant works. 

‘Delights III’ 

This series, “Delights,” came about during COVID lockdowns. I collect a lot of found objects, because they inspire me. I’d found these small gift boxes that used to have candy or nuts in. They come with different phrases on them, like, “May your day be filled with happiness and joy.” And there’s always a picture of shaking hands. The handshake is a universal gesture. And during COVID, we didn’t have that. People didn’t shake hands. Some people didn’t even see anyone. It was a dark time. So I thought, “OK, what if we had something in people’s homes, to give joy and a little hope?” First of all, I did a series of beaded works, and they were shown in an online art fair. Then this friend of mine who is a carpet maker had the idea of making carpets designed by artists from the GCC. And they chose me to represent Saudi. So, I designed this carpet. It’s this whole concept of hopeful, beautiful work that you can see every day and can give you good energy. It’s not an artwork; it’s part of the house. It’s living with you. 




‘Delights III’ 

 

‘Desert Kite’ 

This was created for Desert X AlUla. AlUla is so beautiful. You can’t compete with it. So I wanted something that would basically separate you from the environment; something with walls, so you don’t know what’s around you and you can basically listen to the environment — to silence. 

I have this fascination with history and heritage. There are these very interesting structures around the north west of Saudi and the south of Jordan: desert kites. The first time they discovered them was, I think, during World War Two. They were flying over them. You only can see them from above. And I wondered what their purpose was. Some people say that they’re prehistoric animal traps from thousands of years ago, so my intention was to create something telling that story, so that little blue-green object inside? That’s like the bait — food or water. That makes the animal go inside. Then they’re trapped. And inside the sculpture (on the walls) are a lot of mythical animals: the Medusa, the eagle, the Sphinx — and they’re all trapped in there too. And inside you can sit and actually listen to silence, which is very unusual in a place that is open like that. It’s very interesting. 

One thing I really liked with this work was people’s interpretation of it. A lot of people said it looked like a keyhole — so it was the key to another culture or civilization; or it was the key between the sky and the Earth. I liked how people became their own curator. I’m happy to have people interpret my work the way they see it — as long as they get something out of it.  




‘Delights III’ 

‘Window’ 

This was for my project “The Red Palace.” It’s one of my dearest projects. It made me comfortable with what I’m doing. This was my first real installation work, and my first time really doing something conceptual — almost like theater. And it was my first project with the Hausa artisans. And it’s dear to me because it’s a building I was really inspired by — I always used to walk past it as a kid and I always loved it. It defined architecture in Riyadh and it’s central to the history of Saudi Arabia, whether as a royal palace or as a government building. Everything from the Forties or Fifties to the Nineties was run from that palace.  

The whole idea started with Diriyah Season. They wanted to do an exhibition, and I had this idea of doing a performance called “The Royal Dinner.” During that time, King Saud had three chefs, and they’d have a set menu. People think that, in Saudi Arabia at that time, it was all Bedouin. But no, we had sophistication. But nobody talks about it, and it’s not in in books. So I wanted to recreate this royal banquet to celebrate those behind the scenes; the labor that people don’t know about. I submitted this idea to the Ministry of Culture, and they approved it. So then I went and visited the palace, and I was like, “OK, this is much bigger than my idea, why don’t we expand it?” So we did a lot more, including “Window,” which has actually now been acquired by the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. It’s another dear work to me, because each window was reclaimed from a region of the Kingdom. And it’s backlit, so it shows you how beautiful it would feel to be in those houses with those windows. And it unifies all the regions into one. Like a lot of my work, it’s also nostalgic. When you see those windows, you think back: “Oh, I remember the time when we were kids and playing here and there.”  




‘Window’ 

‘Trust’ 

These chairs were thrones for my “Red Palace” project. When I was looking into doing some beaded work — I wanted to do something in Africa, generally — I didn’t know how to get a contact. I saw I had an Instagram follower from Nigeria. I had no idea who she was. I just DM’d her, and asked if she knew anyone who could make beading work in Nigeria. She said she didn’t, but she could look into it. And she found someone. I showed them what I wanted to do — this was for “The Red Palace” — and while I was doing that, she messaged me and said: ‘Can I ask you a question? Why did you trust me to do this?’ I said, ‘Well, if you want something done, you have to trust someone.” Otherwise I’d have to have travelled myself, you know? When I told the curator this story, she said, “We have to call that piece ‘Trust.’” Because that’s what it was based on. This collaborative work we did, with workmanship like this, they don’t know how to create something new; they just work on what they know — they bead chairs traditionally. I needed to see if they could do it the way I wanted it to be. But that first collaboration led to a lot of other pieces, because they were open to the idea of doing it in a different form. That’s where the trust came from.  




'Trust'

‘Masallaci’ 

This work is very dear to me. It’s a giving-back-to-the-community work. It’s a beautiful story. During the time when I was doing “The Red Palace” and “Trust,” the Hausa people that were working with me, they work in a village next to Abuja in Nigeria. When they have work, they travel there from their villages and they rent part of the place they’re working in for accommodation. I asked them where they prayed. It kind of made me feel like responsible, like I needed to support the community that was working for me. So, I asked them to decorate part of the place they were working in as a mosque — in their own way, their own traditions, their own language; the writing you see is the Hausa language, not Arabic — in exchange for me renting the space for them, to pray and live and work, for a whole year. Everything inside the mosque is beaded, except the floor. Even the furniture. And they sent a turban for me — you can see it in the picture, a little white turban. The imam of the mosque in Nigeria wears this turban, so this was their gift for me. It’s one of my favorite works. And it was really a collaboration; they designed it themselves, I just gave them the idea. 

‘Laser’ 

This project was called “GWPOW” — which stands for Gulf War Prisoners of War. It’s about the Gulf War, but it’s also relevant to what’s happening now in Gaza. It’s about how life is stolen from kids who become soldiers when they’re supposed to be playing and living. They don’t take the decision, somebody else does.  

I was 19 during the first Gulf War. I wanted to volunteer but I couldn’t, because of my injuries — I’d just had my second knee surgery. So I ended up volunteering as a translator. I went and saw the prisoners of war. Some of them were younger than me. They were, like, 16. They didn’t know what they were fighting for. They were just pushed into the war.  

So this project was about the war, but it’s also thinking about those kids. They were supposed to be playing, not fighting. So I was thinking, ‘How can I portray those kids living during that time, in the desert, waiting to fight or to be killed?’ So this project became, like, a playroom for grownups. A recreation center in a war zone — everything is kind of childish. This is one of maybe six paintings I did as part of it, along with beaded works. It’s a pencil drawing, but there’s some collage on it, and some abstract painting, and some ink, so it’s mixed media. So the guy holding the lightsaber, that helmet looks like Darth Vader, but it’s not. It’s the helmet of Saddam Hussein’s Fedayeen corps. And I imagined these kids thinking of being a superhero.  




'Laser'

‘Possession’ 

I saw these people at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. At certain times they open it for women, and they allow people to go privately. I was there with my mom and my family and there were screens, and there were these ladies touching the screens. And to me, it felt like, for them, they were in the highest stage of being possessed by religion, in a good way. Feeling invulnerable. They felt like they are connecting with the Prophet. I mean, I don’t know what it meant to them. I don’t know why they were doing it, but it felt so passionate. And it touched me. I felt like, if it gives them satisfaction, let them do it. It felt surreal to me — but I felt their passion.  

‘Once Was A Ruler’ 

This is a combination of different antiquities that were in the National Museum. I was working there at the time. I wanted to talk about something that is taboo. A lot of people think that these pieces are statues of gods. That’s why they’re hidden away. But at that time, these civilizations were not making big sculptures of their gods, they were making them of themselves. They were a sign of power. So I made it look like an X-ray, and I put human bones on it to show that they are human. They were once a ruler, yes, but a person, not a god.  




‘Once Was A Ruler’ 

‘R III’

“R III” means Ramses the Third. I did this in Egypt, at the Pyramids of Giza. Like with AlUla, this is a place I am in awe of. Like, I can’t compete with nature or with history, so I tried to work with it, complementing the place without actually trying to put my force or my creative energy in it. I was humbled in these places. So, I can’t compete with the Pyramids, but I tried to make something inspired by them. When you look at it from above, you see it has the seal of Ramses the Third. That seal has been found near AlUla, and that means he was probably there — not for fighting, but probably exploring, looking for copper or something — because the pharaohs wouldn’t usually let their seals be carried by others. So I wanted to show this bridge between Ancient Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  


Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’

Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’
Updated 1 min 17 sec ago
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Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’

Russia says Zelensky trip to US was ‘complete failure’
Zelensky’s visit to Washington on Feb. 28 is a complete political failure, Zakharova said

MOSCOW: Russia said Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to the United States had been a complete “failure,” after US President Donald Trump berated him in a stunning televised confrontation.
“The visit of the head of the neo-Nazi regime, V. Zelensky, to Washington on February 28 is a complete political and diplomatic failure of the Kyiv regime,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis

Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis
Updated 6 min 37 sec ago
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Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis

Pakistan’s internet industry body seeks reforms amid digital connectivity crisis
  • Internet service providers’ association says only two operators are controlling Pakistan’s digital connectivity
  • It seeks a second internet gateway in Gwadar, asks regulators to negotiate bandwidth in local currency

KARACHI: Pakistan’s ongoing internet crisis, marked by soaring costs and sluggish speeds, stems from structural issues in which two operators control the gateway to global connectivity, the country’s internet service providers’ association said this week.

Pakistan is heavily reliant on digital connectivity for economic growth. However, the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP) said in a statement users were getting an average speed of just 20-30 megabits per second (Mbps), which was significantly lower than that of countries like Bangladesh in the region where speeds reach 50 Mbps, despite Pakistanis paying nearly twice as much for the service.

WISPAP warned against the “near-duopoly” of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) and Transworld Associates (TWA), saying it had led to monopolistic pricing, restricting competition and keeping internet services expensive and inefficient.

Its assertion comes as Africa-1, a new undersea cable system, recently landed in Pakistan, promising additional bandwidth, though the association said it would only benefit the two existing gatekeepers of global connectivity.

“Ban gatekeepers from overcharging or locking out rivals,” the statement prepared on Tuesday quoted Shahzad Arshad, WISPAP chairman, as saying. “Fair rules mean fair rates.”

Pakistan’s internet infrastructure is centered around Karachi, where PTCL and TWA manage the country’s seven undersea fiber-optic cable connections and two smaller overland links.

Arshad noted the lack of competition allows these operators to set high prices for bandwidth, which internet service providers (ISPs) must purchase before distributing internet services to consumers.

WISPAP also proposed policy recommendations, including creating a second internet gateway in Gwadar, saying it would reduce broadband costs by 30 percent in five years.

“Invite new operators, local or foreign, with tax breaks,” its chairman suggested. “PTCL and TWA will have to fight for customers, not just cash them out.”

Additionally, the group urged regulators to follow Malaysia’s model of negotiating bandwidth in local currency, shielding ISPs from volatile exchange rates.

“Cut the dollar leash, and ISPs save 20% overnight,” Arshad said. “That’s cheaper Wi-Fi for every household.”

Pakistan’s internet crisis has far-reaching consequences for businesses, impacting sectors such as e-commerce, fintech and freelancing. The country’s freelance industry, which generated $1.2 billion in 2024, is particularly vulnerable to unreliable connectivity.

WISPAP estimates that affordable, high-speed internet could double freelancing revenue to $2.5 billion by 2030, while also bringing 10 million more Pakistanis online.


Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says
Updated 10 min 43 sec ago
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Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says
  • Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war
  • On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war

ANKARA: Turkiye’s foreign minister will reiterate at Sunday’s meeting of European leaders in London an offer from Ankara to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.
NATO-member Turkiye hosted initial talks between the sides months after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, helping secure a deal for the safe passage of grain exports in the Black Sea. It has said any future peace talks must include both countries.
While repeatedly calling for a ceasefire since 2024, Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war, which was derailed by a public argument between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States in Washington on Friday.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war, the source said, adding he will also affirm Ankara’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Fidan is expected to “underline that Turkiye, which hosted direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, is ready to take up this role in the coming period,” and emphasize that all parties must jointly focus on lasting regional security and stability, as well as economic prosperity, in negotiations, the person added.
A Black Sea littoral state like Ukraine and Russia, Turkiye has maintained good ties with both since the start of the war. It has provided Kyiv with military support, while refusing to participate in Western sanctions against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkiye last month, on the same day US and Russian representatives met for talks — without Kyiv’s participation — in Riyadh aimed at ending the war.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks in Ankara. On Saturday, Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments around the Ukraine-Russia war in a phone call, the source said, marking the third contact between them in the past two weeks.
On Thursday, delegations from the United States and Russia met in Istanbul for talks aimed at addressing bilateral issues regarding the operations of their respective embassies.
Zelensky said last week that he saw Turkiye as an important security guarantor for Ukraine.


Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
Updated 22 min 56 sec ago
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Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
  • Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British PM
  • “If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron said

LONDON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the American people and leadership and voiced hope for “strong relations,” a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with US President Donald Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with other European leaders.
The summit on Sunday will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkiye, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
The shouting match that unfolded Friday in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Zelensky seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia’s three-year onslaught.

Macron suggests that Putin, not Zelensky, is gambling with World War III
French President Emmanuel Macron said if someone is gambling with World War III, it is not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but more likely his Russian counterpart.
Macron reacted to Friday’s heated exchange between US President Donald Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office, during which Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III.”
“If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron told Portugal’s RTP news channel during a visit to Lisbon ahead of Sunday’s Ukraine summit of European leaders in London.
Macron said he still hopes that the United States will remain committed to the defense of democracy.
“My hope is that the United States of America will continue to stand by its history and its principles,” he said. “Whenever we have had major conflicts, the United States of America has been on the right side of history and freedom.”

Turkish foreign minister discusses Ukraine with Lavrov
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the war in Ukraine, officials said.
The phone call came a day before Fidan is due to attend a London summit of European leaders to discuss bringing the three-year conflict to an end.
Turkiye, which has close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, has previously offered to mediate talks. It hosted unsuccessful peace talks in 2022.

Zelensky expresses his thanks to the US people
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced thanks to the “American people” and leadership, and hope for “strong relations,” less than a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Ukraine had walked into the meeting prepared to sign a mineral deal with the US, hoping it would be a step toward a just ceasefire, but left empty handed.
In a series of posts on X on Saturday, Zelensky said Ukrainians are “very grateful to the United States for all the support,” and specifically thanked Trump and Congress alongside the “American people.”
“Our relationship with the American President is more than just two leaders: It’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples. … American people helped save our people,” he said. “We want only strong relations with America and I really hope we will have them,” he added.
Zelensky arrives in the UK ahead of schedule to meet with Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to meet Saturday afternoon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the dramatic blowout with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Zelensky’s plane with the Ukrainian flag on its tail landed at London Stansted Airport the morning after the diplomatic spat on live TV.
Zelensky had been due to meet with Starmer on Sunday, hours before taking part in a London summit of European leaders to discuss how to ensure a peaceful end to the war and provide security across the continent.
But the timetable for their bilateral meeting was apparently sped up in the aftermath of the Washington visit.


Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties

Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties
Updated 54 min 23 sec ago
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Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties

Pakistan Navy ship participates in UAE defense exhibition to bolster maritime ties
  • The UAE event features naval vessels from eight nations and participation from 65 countries
  • PNS Yarmouk has carried out joint exercises with the UAE Navy’s ship Al Emarat, ISPR says

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Navy ship is participating in an international defense exhibition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of efforts to strengthen maritime relations with the Gulf nation, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.
The Pakistan Navy ship Yarmouk arrived in the UAE for the International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) and the Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX 25), the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Several high-profile officials, including the UAE’s minister for tolerance and the defense ministers of Romania and Yemen, visited the vessel.
“Participation in the defense exhibition reflects Pakistan’s strong defense ties with the UAE and its active role in global maritime security initiatives,” the ISPR said.

This handout photo shows UAE Tolerance and Coexistance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook during International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) & Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Photo courtesy: Handout/Pakistan Navy)

Pakistan has intensified its naval diplomacy in the region and beyond in recent years, particularly with Gulf nations, as part of efforts to enhance maritime security and defense collaboration.
The growing engagement aligns with Islamabad’s broader strategy of maintaining stability in regional waters and securing trade routes amid evolving geopolitical dynamics.
The UAE event, which features naval vessels from eight nations and participation from 65 countries, comes weeks after Pakistan hosted the AMAN-25 multinational exercise, where 60 countries took part in maritime drills aimed at enhancing interoperability and regional security.

In this handout photo, released on February 28, 2025, Pakistan Navy official briefs visitors onboard Pakistan Navy Ship Yarmook during International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) & Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Photo courtesy: Handout/Pakistan Navy)

Following AMAN-25, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia conducted the Affaa Al Sahil bilateral naval exercise, which concluded in Karachi last month with a demonstration of firepower and combat tactics.
During its visit to the UAE, PNS Yarmouk also carried out joint exercises with the UAE Navy’s ship Al Emarat.