The coronavirus pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges for businesses around the world, but it has also accelerated the growth of ecommerce as people increasingly rely on online services.
Saudi interior designer Abrar Saggaf (@Abrarsaggaf) launched her brand Shaqmata in July at the peak of the outbreak in the Kingdom.
But, rather than get bogged down by the economic conditions thrown up by the pandemic, Saggaf decided to challenge herself with something new.
“I asked myself a question: Why would one limit themselves to one specialty, career, and source of income when they can invest in their talents and explore many potential opportunities?” she told Arab News. “I opened my drawer and found that I had many drawings which I collected over the years, and they resembled our local culture and I decided to convert my art style into products.”
Shaqmata (@shaqmata), which means scribbles in Arabic, turns Saggaf’s art into everyday products.
For years she had been encouraged by friends on social media to make decorative items like rugs and pillows out of her drawings that were the product of her stress-relief strategy — doodling.
Saggaf began with bags and has launched three designs since July. The designs are based on three different characters she created to resemble a certain culture.
She is also working on launching a new product — a modern abaya or light jacket — within a month.
What sets Shaqmata apart from other brands are its reasonable price point, as well as its quality and sophisticated design.
“Each character of our products has a name, a birth date, and a story. The more you give depth to your product the more people can connect with it,” she added. “At the beginning people used to order the products by design, now they know the designs by their names.”
Shaqmata targets a wide audience. Anyone interested in something unique and special that has a story — but is also practical — is a potential customer for Saggaf.
“Also, those interested in creative local brands and culture and art enthusiasts.”
Her 10 years of interior design experience, together with her passion for art, helped to grow her business in a few months.
“Although this is a completely new experience for me, my long experience in interior design helped me understand how to satisfy the needs of the targeted audience.”
She encouraged young people to seize opportunities and dare to take the first step toward their dream projects. “If people try to explore themselves, everyone will be able to find a hidden talent inside that’s worthy of their attention and investment.”
Saggaf currently sells her products on Instagram and delivers them to all regions of Saudi Arabia. But they will soon be available at two concept stores in Jeddah and will become available in Riyadh and Alkhobar as well.
She also wanted to offer her products to a wider audience worldwide, with her brand functioning as a platform for creative artists with similar interests to contribute to it.
“My goals are limitless. I want to take this project to grow as big as possible, reaching customers all over the world.”
Startup of the Week: Investing in art and culture in times of crisis
https://arab.news/wew6f
Startup of the Week: Investing in art and culture in times of crisis
- Saggaf currently sells her products on Instagram and delivers them to all regions of Saudi Arabia
Co-founder of digital platform The Open Crate shares Art Basel top picks
BASEL: Tunisian art expert Amina Debbiche, who co-founded digital art platform The Open Crate alongside Nora Mansour, shares her top artworks from Switzerland’s Art Basel contemporary art fair, which wraps up on Sunday.
The Open Crate allows clients to digitalize their entire collection, whether it be artwork, design objects or luxury items.
Yto Barrada at Sfeir-Semler Gallery
“I first discovered Yto Barrada’s work at the Arsenale during the 2011 Venice Biennale and was instantly captivated by her poetic and political approach. Since then, I’ve followed her brilliant trajectory across film, photography, textiles, and installation. Born in Paris and raised in Tangier, her practice explores themes of memory, displacement, and resistance. We’ve now come full circle - she will represent France at the upcoming Venice Biennale, curated by Myriam Ben Salah.”
Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ at Art Basel Unlimited
“Alia Farid’s ‘Elsewhere’ deeply moved me with its layered storytelling and political tenderness. The work maps Arab and South Asian migration to Latin America and the Caribbean through handwoven rugs made with Iraqi weavers. It documents hybrid identities, memory, and solidarity across geographies. I’ve long admired how Alia reclaims overlooked narratives with such poetic clarity. Her voice feels both urgent and timeless.”
Eunnam Hong’s ‘Safeway’ at Mendes Wood DM booth
“Eunnam Hong’s painting … stopped me in my tracks — cinematic, hyper-stylized, and effortlessly cool. With nods to Cindy Sherman and K-drama aesthetics, the Korean artist explores identity and performance through staged, uncanny tableaus. Her figures- drenched in soft light, wrapped in curlers and headscarves, clutching vitamin D and Safeway bags - feel both retro and unmistakably now. It’s suburban surrealism meets generational moodboard, complete with Converse and quiet rebellion. Hong is one of the most compelling contemporary voices out there - sharp, relatable, and iconic in the making.
Simone Fattal’s ‘Music On My Mind’ (2024)
“Simone Fattal is a Syrian Lebanese artist whose sculptural practice draws from archaeology, poetry, and mythology to explore themes of memory, exile, and resilience. Born in Damascus and raised in Beirut, she has created only a few large-scale sculptures, making each one rare and significant. Her works are held in major collections including MoMA, Centre Pompidou, and the Sharjah Art Foundation … I was drawn to “Music On My Mind” for its quiet power — the naive, totemic form and subtle reference to sound felt deeply poetic.”
M'barek Bouhchichi’s ‘Terr
Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner
“I love this work for its quiet intensity and material poetry and Selma Feriani, who presents it, is one of the few truly independent voices from the region to make it to Art Basel with a consistently bold program. M’barek Bouhchichi, born in southeastern Morocco, lives and works in Tahanaout, Morocco. The artist collaborates with women artisans to create henna-dyed wool works that evoke both landscape and memory. His ‘Terra’ series explores cultural links between Morocco and Mali through ancestral weaving techniques. These minimal, earthy compositions blur the line between textile and painting. A major solo show in Tunis is coming this September.”
Noah Davis’s ‘The Goat from Grayson’ (2008) at David Zwirner
“I’ve always been drawn to Noah Davis’s ability to create scenes that feel both dreamlike and grounded in Black lived experience. “The Goat from Grayson” (2008), shown here at David Zwirner, captures his signature blend of poetic realism, rich symbolism and painterly tenderness. The glowing tree, the quiet tension, and the spiritual undertone pull you in. Davis, who passed away tragically young at 32, was not only a brilliant painter but also the founder of The Underground Museum in Los Angeles, a vital space for Black art and community. His work was the subject of a major retrospective at the Hammer Museum in 2020, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential artists of his generation.”
Eric Fischl’s ‘After the Funeral’ (2017)
“Eric Fischl’s paintings often feel like paused movie scenes, loaded with tension, memory, and unspoken drama. I was instantly drawn to these two women, something about the cigarette, the ice cube, the gaze, it felt like I’d stumbled into a Woody Allen film mid-conversation. Fischl captures that strange mix of intimacy and detachment with uncanny precision. A key figure of American figurative painting since the 1980s, his work explores suburban psychology and social dynamics. He is represented by Skarstedt, a gallery known for championing major contemporary artists like David Salle, Cindy Sherman, and George Condo.”
Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ (2020)
“Sheila Hicks’s ‘Lianes Etoiles’ is pure visual rhythm. Its vibrant threads, soft textures, and sculptural layering instantly drew me in. There is something meditative and sensual about the way the colors pulse across the surface. Hicks, a pioneer of textile art, has redefined fiber as a sculptural and painterly medium for over six decades. This piece feels both contemporary and ancestral, like a coded language of color and craft. It is shown by Alison Jacques, a gallery that consistently champions strong, visionary practices.”
Wael Shawky’s ‘I Am Hymns of The New Temples: Pompeii glass amphora (#06)’ (2023) at the booth of Lia Rumma
“Wael Shawky’s amphora sculptures are a masterclass in historical layering and contemporary wit. Representing the Egyptian Pavilion at the last Venice Biennale, his work was among the most celebrated and nearly won the Golden Lion. The video “Drama 1882” retelling of the ’Urabi revolution that was co‑funded through support from Mai Eldib, who organised key patronage, was later acquired by a major institution in the Middle East. These Murano glass forms, draped in ornate textiles, are as subtle as they are rich in reference. Shawky continues to expand the visual language of Arab myth, ritual, and storytelling with quiet force.”
Amoako Boafo’s ‘Floral One Piece’ (2025) at Gagosian Gallery’s booth
“This striking portrait by Amoako Boafo was exhibited at the Gagosian booth, where the brilliant Rola Wazni, director of Gagosian Paris, walked me through a presentation curated by Francesco Bonami. Boafo, originally from Ghana and based in Vienna, is known for his lush finger-painted figures and bold exploration of Black identity and presence. His textured brushwork and floral detailing here are both tender and defiant. The composition radiates quiet power, dignity, and individuality. Rolla’s sharp eye and grace made the experience even more memorable.”
Maurizio Cattelan and Rudofl Stingel at Gagosian Gallery’s booth
“Gagosian’s booth at Art Basel 2025, curated by Francesco Bonami, offered a brilliantly irreverent pairing of Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘No’ (2021) and Rudolf Stingel’s ‘Untitled’ (2012). Cattelan’s kneeling figure in a suit, head covered by a paper bag, delivers a biting satire of modern-day capitalism and mental health collapse — a man caught between denial and trauma, refusing to face symbolic castration or mortality. Stingel’s silvery abstraction provided a haunting, meditative counterpoint, echoing themes of absence and ego. Together, the works reflected on visibility, repression, and the absurd rituals of the art world. The result was a sharp, minimalist statement that lingered long after.”
Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman joins King Charles at Royal Ascot opening
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud joined the UK’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Royal Ascot, one of the most prestigious equestrian racing events in the world.
Prince Faisal appeared alongside the British royals in the lead royal carriage that opened the official procession at the racecourse, just south of Windsor in the UK.
Lady Sarah Keswick also joined the lead carriage alongside Prince Faisal, King Charles III and Queen Camilla. A close friend of the queen, she is a key member of the Queen’s Companions.
Following the royal procession, Prince Faisal, a grandson of King Abdulaziz and son of King Salman, joined members of the British royal family, including Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall, in the royal enclosure to watch the first day of races.
Royal Ascot remains a major fixture on the British social calendar, drawing global political and royal elites.
Arab royalty has played an increasingly visible role at the event in recent years. In 2024, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain — the crown prince and prime minister — attended the event as a guest of honor, representing Bahrain’s royal family.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, has become a prominent figure in the racing world through his Wathnan Racing team.
The organization has achieved notable success at Royal Ascot, including a win in the 2023 Gold Cup.
Prince Saud bin Khalid — son of the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah Al-Saud, the legendary Saudi breeder behind Juddmonte Farms — was also seen attending the second day of the Royal Ascot in 2023, alongside King Charles III.
Deaf artist breaks barriers with solo debut in Jeddah
- Elham Abu Talib shares vision through her expressive works
JEDDAH: “It’s never too late to follow your dream,” says Elham Abu Talib, who has held her first solo exhibition in Jeddah after 38 years.
The Saudi artist is no stranger to the local art scene, having taken part in exhibitions across the Kingdom and overcome the barriers accompanying being severely deaf.
And at the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah on Sunday, Abu Talib showcased more than 40 paintings to leading artists and lovers of the genre.
Titled “Inspiration,” the exhibition marked a milestone, presenting her work to the public while highlighting her artistic journey amid years of persistence.
HIGHLIGHT
Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity.
Her passion began in childhood, when natural talent blossomed into fine art shaped by a beautiful dream. She lost her hearing as a child and faced speech difficulties, but met her challenges with patience, courage, and ambition.
Determined to express herself, she used a brush and colors as her voice — turning her childhood dreams into vivid reality.
She shared that hearing loss kept her from entering university, but her late father convinced her it did not mean giving up her ambitions.
Inspired by his words, she began participating in exhibitions while raising her children and fulfilling her duties as a mother.
She believes her disability has sharpened her visual perception — a gift she channels into her art.
“I’m so happy that, after 38 years, my dream has come true with this solo exhibition,” she said. “I thank the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah for giving me this opportunity.”
Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity.
Maha Abdulhalim Radwi, secretary-general of the Radwi Art Prize, said the artist had finally achieved a major milestone, adding: “This event allowed her to showcase her unique perspective and creative talent to a wider audience, proving that art transcends communication barriers.”
Mohammed Al-Subaih, the director general of the SASCA, said Abu Talib had dreamed of a solo exhibition for nearly four decades — and was now finally living that dream.
He added: “She’s participated with us in many workshops and group exhibitions; now it’s time to celebrate her first solo show.
“She deserves all the support and encouragement.”
Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi presents ‘The Social Health Club’ in Basel
RIYADH: This month, Saudi artist Ahaad Alamoudi is turning up the heat at Basel Social Club — which runs until June 21 in the Swiss city — with her latest installation, “The Social Health Club.”
Freshly conceived, but rooted in the artist’s past works, the yellow-drenched installation offers a layered, sensory experience — and sharp cultural commentary — as well as a first for the artist: a live-performance element.
Jeddah-based Alamoudi is known for creating immersive multimedia installations drawing from and exploring the complex dynamics of her evolving homeland. “The Social Health Club” is built around pieces found in Jeddah’s Haraj market in 2018 — a range of exercise equipment including a rowing machine.
“These are pieces I collected from thrifting. I like the fact that no instructions came with the machines — I don’t have their name or the source of where they came from or who made them. But they’ve become part of the urban landscape that I’ve been in. And I was trying to create fun within the space,” Alamoudi told Arab News.
In “The Social Health Club,” the equipment, painted predominantly in vibrantly-saturated monochrome yellow, stands untouched, serving as symbols of a culture obsessed with self-optimization. At the core of the installation is a cameo from a yellow-painted iron previously featured in her 2020 video work “Makwah Man.” (Makwah means iron in Arabic.)
“A lot of my pieces stem from a narrative I create within a video. In ‘Makwah Man,’ this man wearing a yellow thobe is ironing a long piece of yellow fabric in the middle of the desert. And as he’s ironing, he tells us how to live our lives. But in the process of him telling us how to live our lives, he also starts questioning his own in the process — understanding the role of power, understanding the pressure of change, adaptation,” Alamoudi explained.
“The yellow exists within the video piece, but he’s also wearing yellow thobe in the video piece. And (in this iteration at Art Basel) there’s also a rack of yellow thobes twirling in the exhibition. For me, the yellow thobe is like a unifying symbol. I’m trying to say that we’re all experiencing this in different ways. So in the performance (for “The Social Health Club”) a man (a local body builder) in a yellow thobe will be performing on these machines. He has no rule book. He doesn’t know anything; he doesn’t know how to ‘properly’ use the equipment. He’s going to go into the space and do things with the machines.
“The performance will be recorded. But I think it’s more like an activation,” she continued. “It’s not the piece itself. The piece itself exists as the machines.”
“The Social Health Club” was shaped through close collaboration with curator Amal Khalaf, who combed Jeddah’s market with Alamoudi in search of “machines that were a little bit abnormal, like not your typical machines that people would directly know what it is in the gym,” Alamoudi said.
“She’s quite incredible,” she continued. “And we really built the space together. Essentially, the main thing that I created was the video; everything else was built off of that. She really helped. She really looked at social change and how we navigate that. Our collaboration was perfect.”
Yellow dominates every inch of the piece—deliberately and intensely.
“I obsess over symbols within certain works I create. And with that also comes a color,” Alamoudi said. “I wanted to showcase something that was luxurious, colorful, almost like gold, but it’s not gold. It’s quite stark in its appearance.”
Yellow is both invitation and warning. “I think that yellow is also quite deceptive. I like it as a color to get people excited to come closer and see what’s happening, but at the same time question what it is — it’s so aggressive that it becomes a bit uncomfortable.”
The viewer’s interaction is critical to the piece’s meaning.
“I think the machines represent something and they carry something, but they really are activated by the people — what people are doing with them,” Alamoudi said. “And that’s why I’m encouraging a lot of viewers to engage with and use the pieces, or try to use them without any instruction. A lot of people entering into the space (might) fear even touching or engaging with them. Having the performer there activating the structures is going to add another layer to the piece itself.”
She hopes visitors feel free to explore, unburdened by expectations.
“People are meant to use it any way that they want to use it. They can sit on it, stand on it, touch it — they can leave it alone,” she concluded with a laugh.
Ancient Malian city celebrates annual replastering of mosque
- The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather
DJÉNNÉ, Mali: Thousands of Malians have replastered the iconic earthen mosque in the historic city of Djenne during an annual ceremony that helps preserve the World Heritage site.
To the sound of drums and festive music, townsmen on Thursday coated the towering three-minaret mosque with fresh mud plaster.
The annual replastering with “banco” — a mix of earth and water — shields the mosque from harsh weather ahead of the Sahel region’s often violent rainy season.
“This mosque belongs to the whole world,” said Aboubacar Sidiki Djiteye, his face streaked with mud as he joined the “unifying” ritual.
“There’s no bigger event in Djenne than this,” he told AFP.
“Replastering the mosque is a tradition handed down from generation to generation,” said Bayini Yaro, one of the women tasked with carrying water for the plaster mix.
Locals prepared the mix themselves, combining water, earth, rice bran, shea butter and baobab powder — a hallmark of Sahel-Sudanese architecture.
Chief mason Mafoune Djenepo inspected the fresh coating.
“The importance of this mosque is immense. It’s the image on all Malian stamps,” he said.
A blessing ceremony followed the replastering, with Qur’anic verses recited in the mosque courtyard. Participants then shared dates and sweets.
First erected in the 13th century and rebuilt in 1907, the mosque is considered the world’s largest earthen structure, according to the United Nations’ cultural body, UNESCO.
Djenne, home to around 40,000 residents and known for preserving its traditional banco houses, has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 1988.
The site was added to the endangered heritage list in 2016 due to its location in central Mali, where jihadist fighters linked to Al-Qaeda and the Daesh group, as well as ethnic militias and criminal gangs, have waged a violent insurgency since 2012.
