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’ 

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.  


Pakistan’s KP to hold tribal council meetings from this weekend over concerns amid Bajaur military operation

Updated 4 min 47 sec ago
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Pakistan’s KP to hold tribal council meetings from this weekend over concerns amid Bajaur military operation

  • Province’s local elders, political parties and representatives, stakeholders will be part of councils, says KP chief minister
  • Development takes place amid protests over deteriorating law and order situation in northwestern Bajaur district

PESHAWAR: The chief minister of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Ali Amin Gandapur, announced on Wednesday that the provincial government will hold a series of tribal council meetings or jirgas from August 2 to address people’s concerns, amid protests over the deteriorating law and order situation amid a fresh military operation in the restive Bajaur district.

Located in KP along the Afghan border, the northwestern Bajaur district has long experienced militant violence and multiple military operations, especially during the peak of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgency.

Hundreds of protesters, including tribal elders and youth, rallied on Wednesday in Bajaur district to express concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the area, as the military launched an operation against militants that has left at least three civilians dead and seven injured, according to local representatives. Residents say they are opposing the latest offensive out of fear of displacement, as previous operations in the tribal belt, led to evacuations and long-term instability.

The unrest erupted following a three-day curfew imposed across 16 villages in Bajaur’s Loi Mamund tehsil, where the Pakistan Army began a counterterrorism operation codenamed “Sarbakaf” on July 29. The curfew, announced in a notification by the district’s deputy commissioner, aimed to “ensure public safety” amid intelligence reports of militant activity.

“I am starting jirgas [tribal councils] and from August 2, god willing, our jirgas will begin,” Gandapur said in a video message released by his office.

He added that at first, the jirgas will be held at the division level where all of the province’s local elders, political parties, political representatives, and stakeholders will sit together for consultations.

“The purpose of the consultations is to address the reservations and after these jirgas, we will hold a grand jirga in which we will give our policy, our plan and future strategy after sitting with all institutions,” the chief minister added.

The Pakistani military’s offensive triggered intense clashes with suspected militants, as local residents say the crossfire spilled into civilian areas, forcing many families to flee.

“The situation remains tense, and some families have already relocated to safer areas within the district,” Dr. Hamid ur Rehman, a provincial lawmaker from Bajaur affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Arab News over the phone while confirming civilian casualties.

“The operation has been paused today, but there’s still fear in the air,” he added.

He said a provincial assembly session scheduled for August 1 would discuss the crisis.

Pakistan’s military did not respond to a request for comment from Arab News when this report was filed.

Nisar Muhammad, spokesperson for the provincial information department, said the government was “closely monitoring” the situation and had convened an apex committee meeting to review the security response.

“The curfew will be lifted in phases, depending on the ground situation,” he added. “Civilian safety is our priority.”

The escalation has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders.

Aimal Wali Khan, president of the Awami National Party, denounced the violence in a social media statement, saying, “The bloodshed in Bajaur must end.”

Malik Farman Ullah, a tribal elder, voiced frustration over the recurring violence in the region.

“Our people are exhausted from burying the dead,” he said. “We demand that militants and security forces keep their clashes away from civilian homes.”

The Bajaur operation comes amid renewed concerns about the TTP’s presence along the Afghan border and a broader uptick in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The provincial administration, led by Gandapur, has called for greater provincial involvement in security decisions, emphasizing the need to balance counterterrorism with civilian protections.

As tensions rise, the federal and provincial governments face growing pressure to restore stability without repeating past cycles of violence in the tribal belt.


Syria’s foreign minister to make first official visit to Moscow since Assad’s ouster

Updated 55 min 53 sec ago
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Syria’s foreign minister to make first official visit to Moscow since Assad’s ouster

  • Lavrov will host his Syrian counterpart, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, for talks in Moscow on Thursday
  • The two will discuss bilateral ties, as well as international and regional issues

DAMASCUS: Russia announced Wednesday that Syria’s foreign minister will visit Moscow, the first official visit to Russia by an official in the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive last year.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told the state news agency Tass that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will host his Syrian counterpart, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani, for talks in Moscow on Thursday. The two will discuss bilateral ties, as well as “international and regional issues,” the statement said.

There was no statement from Syria on the visit.

Assad was an ally of Russia, and Moscow’s scorched-earth intervention in support of him a decade ago turned the tide of Syria’s civil war, helping to keep Assad in his seat for years. However, when insurgent groups launched a new offensive last year, Russia did not intervene again to save Assad.

Instead, Assad took refuge in Russia after his ouster. The former president later claimed in a statement posted on Facebook that he had wanted to stay in the country and continue fighting but that the Russians had pulled him out.

He said that he left Damascus for Russia’s Hmeimim air base in the coastal province of Latakia on the morning of Dec. 8, hours after insurgents stormed the capital. He hadn’t planned to flee, but the Russians evacuated him to Russia after the base came under attack.

Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus, headed by interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow.

A Russian delegation visited Damascus in January, and the following month, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had a call with Al-Sharaa that the Kremlin described as “constructive and business-like.” Some Russian forces have remained on the Syrian coast, and Russia has reportedly sent oil shipments to Syria.

Al-Sharaa publicly thanked Russia for its “strong position in rejecting Israeli strikes and repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty” after Israel intervened in clashes between Syrian government forces and armed groups from the Druze religious minority earlier this month.


Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2026, will receive applications from Aug. 4

Updated 43 min 12 sec ago
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Pakistan approves Hajj Policy 2026, will receive applications from Aug. 4

  • Pakistan says quota for Hajj pilgrims is 179,210, out of which 129,210 quota has been reserved for government scheme
  • Religious affairs minister says estimated cost of government’s Hajj scheme will range from [$4,049.93 to $4,236]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf announced on Wednesday that the federal cabinet has approved the country’s Hajj Policy 2026, with Islamabad set to receive applications for the pilgrimage under the government scheme from Aug. 4.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Yousaf said currently the quota for Pakistani pilgrims is 179,210. However, he said a response from the Saudi government is awaited in this regard.

He said out of the total pilgrims’ quota, 129,210 seats have been allocated for the government scheme and the rest for private tour operators.

“Today, by the grace of Allah, the federal cabinet has approved the Hajj Policy 2026,” Yousaf said. “We will start to receive Hajj applications under the government scheme from the first week of August, from the fourth.”

Yousaf pointed out that under the government Hajj scheme, pilgrims can avail either a long Hajj package of 38–42 days or a short package that consists of a duration of 20–25 days.

Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousaf (c) announces the Hajj Policy 2026 in Islamabad on July 30, 2025, following its approval by the federal cabinet at the Prime Minister’s Office. (Photo courtesy: MoRA/Handout)

He said Hajj applicants must be Muslim Pakistani passport holders, with a passport valid until Nov. 26, 2026.

“Children under 12 will not be allowed to perform Hajj this year,” the minister said.

He said as per the government scheme, Hajj applicants must submit their Hajj dues in two installments. Yousaf said the estimated cost of the government’s Hajj package will range from Rs1,150,000 to Rs1,250,000 [$4,049.93 to $4,236], subject to final agreements with service providers.

He said the first installment payment will be accepted at designated banks across Pakistan from Aug. 4.

“Due to Saudi Arabia’s timelines, selection will be on a first-come, first-serve basis,” Yousaf clarified.

Receiving a Saudi-approved vaccine is mandatory for all intending pilgrims, the minister said, adding that Makkah Route Initiative facilities will continue to be provided to pilgrims at Pakistan’s Islamabad and Karachi airports.

Yousaf said a monitoring team from Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs will oversee the overall Hajj operations to maintain the quality of services.

Saudi Arabia had approved a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Pakistan this year as well. A large portion of the private Hajj quota for 2025 remained unutilized due to delays by tour operators in meeting payment and registration deadlines, while the government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims.

Private operators attributed the shortfall to technical issues, including payment processing problems and communication breakdowns.


Pakistan vows to intensify Gaza ceasefire call at upcoming UNGA session

Updated 30 July 2025
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Pakistan vows to intensify Gaza ceasefire call at upcoming UNGA session

  • The 80th session of the UN General Assembly will be held in September in New York
  • Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan will send two aid consignments to Gaza via Egypt, Jordan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan would join other countries in calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session, criticizing Israel for its military operations in the Middle East.

The 80th session of the UNGA will open on Tuesday, September 9, while the first day of the high-level General Debate will begin on Tuesday, September 23.

All eyes will be on the upcoming UNGA as French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognize Palestinian statehood during the summit, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States.

“And at the upcoming [United Nations General Assembly] session in September, we will strongly present Pakistan’s position and join voices with all those countries calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and subsequently, for securing the rights of the Palestinian state,” Sharif said in an address to members of the federal cabinet.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad on July 30, 2025. (Handout/PMO)

“Pakistan’s voice will not only be aligned with those countries, but it will also be an energetic one.”

His statement comes amid renewed calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, as Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in the territory since October 7, 2023.

Several countries, including international rights organizations and charity institutes, have raised alarm at the outbreak of diseases and starvation in Gaza amid the worsening conditions there.

The Pakistani premier criticized Israel’s military operations in Gaza, saying that such barbarity has “never been witnessed before.”

Sharif said he had issued directives to the chairman of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to immediately dispatch two consignments of relief items for Gaza.

He said the relief items will be sent via Egypt and Jordan.

“God willing, preparations will be completed soon and these food aid consignments will take off at the earliest possible time,” he added.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar took part this week at a high-level UN summit co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on the two-state solution in the Middle East.

Dar pushed for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and called on other countries to recognize Palestine as an independent nation at the conference. He also demanded Palestine be recognized as a member of the UN.


Morocco’s king calls for addressing regional inequalities

Updated 30 July 2025
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Morocco’s king calls for addressing regional inequalities

  • King Mohammed VI said it is not acceptable for Morocco to be a 'two-speed country

RABAT: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI urged on Tuesday the government to elaborate a new generation of reforms to ensure equal development between the country’s regions.
“It is not acceptable for Morocco – today or at any time in the future – to be a two-speed country,” the king, who has final say over the country’s strategic policies, said in an annual speech marking 26 years of his reign.
While the level of poverty has dropped in Morocco from 11.9 percent in 2014 to 6.8 percent in 2024, some inner regions show above-average poverty levels, according to the national statistics agency.
Morocco has attracted industrial investments in sectors such as aerospace and car manufacturing, which now top its exports.
However, most of the country’s GDP, industry and critical infrastructure are concentrated in the northwestern areas, leaving the rest of Morocco dependent on farming, fisheries and tourism.
“Some regions — particularly in rural areas — are still suffering from poverty and vulnerability, due to a lack of infrastructure and basic facilities,” the king said.
The new reforms should aim at improving social services, education, health care and water management as well as promoting employment, he said.
Morocco created just 82,000 jobs last year, which falls short of reducing the country’s high unemployment rate at 13.3 percent, according to the central bank.
In his speech, the king also reaffirmed Morocco’s readiness for “a frank, responsible, fraternal and sincere dialogue on the various issues pending” with Algeria.
Algeria cut ties with Morocco in 2021, halted the flow of gas, banned Moroccan flights from crossing its airspace and imposed visas on Moroccans, after the kingdom resumed ties with Israel.
The two most populous countries in the Maghreb are at loggerheads over the status of Western Sahara. Morocco considers the territory its own, while Algeria hosts and backs the Polisario Front, which seeks its own state there.
The king also thanked the UK and Portugal, the most recent Western nations to back Morocco’s autonomy plan for the territory.