RIYADH: Art, music, fashion, and coffee are among the perks of attending the pre-Ramadan pop-up show in Riyadh’s Lakum Artspace this week.
The four-day exhibition consists of curated pop-up shops that feature brands from local and regional designers.
The shops boast workshops for visitors interested in flower arranging, along with live art and fashion sketching.
And, for refreshments, there are drinks from the studio’s own coffee shop, Malmoum Cafe.
Art curator Dana Qabbani says that the pop-up show has been created to celebrate local brands and give them a platform to share their work.
She said: “I wanted to celebrate the success of the brands that grew with us 10 years ago.
“These Saudi brands are led by amazing ladies and men, who have proved themselves in the market both locally and internationally.”
Art curator Dana Qabbani at the Pre-Ramadan Show in Lakum Artspace in Riyadh. (Supplied)
One of the featured brands is Tamashee, a well-known high-end Arabian Gulf footwear brand based in Dubai that has expanded to the Kingdom.
Muneera Al-Tamimi, co-founder of Tamashee, said that the brand had collaborated with Qabbani in the past.
She said: “Tamashee has been around for 10 years now. We have worked with the team behind the ‘pre-show’ and Lakum Artspace many times and admire their creativity and choice of unique brands that they bring together under their platform.
“Tamashee thrives to create a soulful narrative from within the region that contributes to advancing the Arabian Peninsula’s identity through our products.
“We cater to our customers who enjoy the cultural experience firsthand through our products when visiting one of our shops or pop-ups.”
Saad Ahmed, who is an assistant at the gallery, said that he enjoyed Tamashee’s products.
He said: “My favorite part of the pop-up show is Tamashee because there are options for men.
“But there are a lot of brands that have exciting gifts and I would recommend them to my mother or sister.”
“Tamashee thrives to create a soulful narrative from within the region that contributes to advancing the Arabian Peninsula’s identity through our products,” said Muneera Al-Tamimi, co-founder of Tamashee. (Supplied)
Formally known as Alaan Artspace, Qabbani says that Lakum Artspace is looking back with its latest venture.
She said: “In the past Alaan was one of the only places that dedicated their space to pop-up shops, music shows, art and seminars.
“When it started it was absolutely groundbreaking, so this is the first pop-up show that resembles the old days.
“There was a demand to create pop-up shops like we used to in the past. The past couple of years, most of the shows have just been art, but with the recent demand for pop-up shows, we decided to take a different approach this year.”
Qabbani added that the studio wanted the community to shop for clothing and accessories before the beginning of the holy month.
She said: “We wanted the experience to be curated, for people to enjoy their time, look at designs and indulge in good food and art.”
