The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts

The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts
Alia Ahmad's 'Alwasm' at the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Riyadh. (Supplied)
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Updated 26 May 2024
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The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts

The story behind Saudi artist Alia Ahmad’s alluring abstracts
  • Ahmad is garnering international attention, with two solo exhibitions in Europe  

RIYADH: Hanging at the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Riyadh is a large canvas titled “Alwasm,” a 2023 painting by Saudi artist Alia Ahmad. It’s an instant showstopper. Guests on the opening night of the event, which runs until May 24, gathered around the painting, which was inspired by Wadi Hanifah in the Najd region of Riyadh, which is where the biennale is being staged. Commissioned for the event, the painting’s alluring warm tones and lively hues capture the titular period between October and December when the weather becomes cooler and there is respite from the arid desert heat.  

Ahmad is on a roll. Since graduating from London’s Royal College of Art with a Master’s in 2020, the 28-year-old Riyadh-based painter has staged several solo exhibitions in her home country and has increasingly garnered international attention for her abstract expressionist canvases that depict the natural and urban landscape of her home country. Ahmad says she considers paintings “social spaces” as well as “blueprints.” 




Alia Ahmad's 'Malga—The Place In Which We Gather,' which sold for $128,786 at auction this year. (Courtesy of Phillips)

“These paintings represent my version of the landscape,” Ahmad tells Arab News. “They include elements that may be references to birds or various color palettes that aren’t necessarily found in the landscape, but that represent how I view it. I’m addicted to incorporating my imagination.” 

The desert landscape, she stresses, “is not necessarily dry or empty. It has so much more.” And that is what she captures in the lush, lyrical brushstrokes of her abstract works, which are filled with references to local culture. “The traditional Arab bedouin dress is filled with color. As are the tents,” she says. “Women here have traditionally embellished their gowns. Where does this sense of vibrant creativity come from? The color and playfulness we imbue our traditional dress and items with comes from the landscape.” 

Ahmad recently staged her first solo exhibition in Europe. “Terhal Gheim (The Voyage of the Clouds)” runs at White Cube in Paris until May 18.  

On March 7 this year she sold her first work at auction at the Phillips 20th Century & Contemporary Art sale in London. Her painting “Malga — The Place in Which We Gather” sold for four times its estimate, bringing in a remarkable £101,600 (roughly SAR475,825). 




Ahmad's works on display in London's Albion Juene Gallery. (Gilbert McCarragher)

And on May 2, another solo exhibition — “Thought to Image” — opened in London at Albion Jeune. Running until June 12, the show presents Ahmad’s alluring abstract landscapes, inspired by the hues of traditional textiles created by Sadu weavers of Bedouin tribes and the Arabic calligraphic script known as khatt. 

“Much of my inspiration comes from textiles,” she explains. “At one point I was obsessed with making collages and with buying pieces of fabric.”  

She also used to draw stick-figure cartoons as a child, she adds. Those amateur drawings were works in progress — an aspect Ahmad continues to enjoy in her practice. “I loved the idea of having a drawing in progress to then fill in the blanks of what the character might look like later,” she says.  

Ahmad’s paintings today are an amalgamation of various aspects of her homeland — its rich natural environment from the desert to the lush palm trees and other vegetation, local dress, jewelry and animals. She brings all of them together to depict in colorful abstract forms the richness of Saudi heritage, particularly that of her home region of Najd. 

Her works, as international gallerists and collectors have found, are rife with specific local details that connect in some way with people across the world, even if only by piquing their curiosity about a country that has only recently really opened up to visitors. 

Ultimately, Ahmad’s paintings serve as a unique reference point during a time of monumental social and economic change in the Kingdom, revealing and documenting a moment of both transformation and a desire to retain and promote Saudi’s rich heritage. 

Her imaginary landscapes also include flattened perspectives, nods to her previous training in digital culture at King's College London. They reflect the futuristic visages of the modern world coupled with the beauty of the undulating curves of the desert landscape and the colorful attributes of Arabian culture. 

Each painting takes the viewer on a voyage into a vibrant abstract world that echoes aspects of everyday reality. 

As Ahmad puts it: “They are all playful paintings and I make sure that each work and each show I stage retains that aspect of curiosity.” 


US contemporary artist Brendan Murphy discusses his first show in Riyadh

 US contemporary artist Brendan Murphy discusses his first show in Riyadh
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US contemporary artist Brendan Murphy discusses his first show in Riyadh

 US contemporary artist Brendan Murphy discusses his first show in Riyadh

RIYADH: The American contemporary artist Brendan Murphy brought his solo exhibition “Complete Control” to Ahlam Gallery in Riyadh on Nov. 7. The Riyadh show is the conclusion of a global tour that Murphy began in June 2024 at Fineart Oslo. 

The show features a number of Murphy’s iconic “Spaceman” sculptures, with a particular focus on his limited-edition collectible series titled “Magication.”  

In an interview with Arab News, Murphy said the main goal of his show is to bring people “into the moment.” He also stressed that he felt a “creative cultural resonance” with the Kingdom, where he believes people have shown “an appetite for creative works.”  

The Riyadh show is the conclusion of a global tour that Murphy began in June 2024 at Fineart Oslo. (Supplied)

He said: “I have a lot of stuff I’m working on, but I’m focused on building a foundation in Riyadh right now. This show is not a one-shot deal, I want to be a part of this renaissance (that’s happening in Saudi Arabia) for the next five to 10 years, at least. I want to be a part of it — I want to lead it if I can.”  

Murphy’s body of work includes colorful abstract paintings and sculptures of his signature Spacemen, which explore themes of beauty, power, and the human experience. 

As a kid, watching astronauts and space shuttle launches played a major role in Murphy’s life and eventually became one of his main artistic inspirations.  

Brendan Murphy's 'Frozen With Desire.' (Supplied)

“My spacemen have little to do with space travel,” he explained. “They epitomize embracing the unknown — taking that step — more than somebody that literally is flying into darkness.” 

Murphy’s Spacemen come in various sizes and forms, including small collectibles and large-scale installations. This versatility allows them to fit into diverse settings, from private collections to public art displays. The sculptures can be found across the world, including a 13-foot Spaceman in Houston’s Minute Maid Park baseball stadium and a 22-foot Spaceman in Oslo. 

Murphy hasn’t always been an artist. He was once a professional basketball player in Europe, and then became a Wall Street trader. “I did not make a full pivot into accepting that I was a creative person until I was maybe 29,” he said. Today, he is one of most financially successful contemporary artists in the world. 

In 2021, Brendan created his “Boonji Project” — a collection of his artwork as non-fungible tokens — and launched it on the Ethereum blockchain (which uses the cryptocurrency Ether). It became the largest primary NFT sale in history, producing $15.5 million dollars.   

Brendan Murphy's 2023 work '9 Intentions.' (Supplied)

His work has proven popular with both serious collectors and celebrities, including the tennis players Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, as well as US business mogul Warren Buffett.  

Inspired by artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock — famed for their use of color — Murphy’s art aims to encourage the viewer to tune into their emotions and discover the unknown. 

“I love color as a means of communicating a feeling,” Murphy said. “When I make something and I get it right, my work creates energy and that’s pretty cool. Color is the easiest way of creating energy; different colors connect with different feelings.” 

Murphy said his practice, by choice, demands that he step out of his comfort zone. He utilizes non-traditional methods and rare materials including chrome and diamonds to create conceptual pieces. He has become famous for his extravagant works of art, including “Frozen with Desire,” a sculpture of an astronaut encrusted with 6,200 diamonds, priced at $25 million.  

“As an artist, you have to be uncomfortable all the time,” he said. “Find comfort in what you can control, then break it and go where you have no idea what you’re doing.” 


Mark Strong plays ‘interesting version’ of all-powerful ruler in ‘Dune: Prophecy’ 

Mark Strong plays ‘interesting version’ of all-powerful ruler in ‘Dune: Prophecy’ 
Updated 13 min 44 sec ago
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Mark Strong plays ‘interesting version’ of all-powerful ruler in ‘Dune: Prophecy’ 

Mark Strong plays ‘interesting version’ of all-powerful ruler in ‘Dune: Prophecy’ 

JEDDAH: The latest big-budget sci-fi series takes fans back to the familiar universe of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” but 10,000 years before the events of the recent movies starring Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet. 

The HBO Max show “Dune: Prophecy” — streaming in the Middle East on OSN+ — follows the rise of the shadowy Bene Gesserit sisterhood. British actor Mark Strong takes on the role of Emperor Javicco Corrino, a man who has become ruler of the galaxy at a tumultuous time. 

No stranger to playing characters in powerful positions — most recently, he portrayed the ruthless mob boss Carmine Falcone in another HBO series, “Penguin” — Strong claims that his Emperor Corrino is a little different to the usual screen versions of such men. 

“I’m playing a very interesting version of the guy in charge,” Strong tells Arab News. “So, he is the emperor of the universe, which is a great part to play as an actor, obviously, but what’s fascinating about him is his vulnerability — the fact that he is managing a fragile peace. 

“So, the guy isn’t what I normally am asked to play, which is people with power who know what they’re doing. He’s very unsure of himself. He doesn’t feel like he’s inherited the ability of his father, he feels a bit of an imposter. He’s trying to deal with a world that he’s not in control of. And I love that juxtaposition of a man that’s supposed to be in charge and supposed to know what he’s doing, and actually he’s very unsure of himself.” 

For Strong, the success of the current “Dune” movie and TV franchise is down to the source material.  

“The base of the whole thing is these amazing novels that people adore. They are incredibly complicated — really rich. A lot of what we know as modern science fiction, whether it’s ‘Star Trek’ or ‘Star Wars’ or whatever, they come from those books,” he said. 

“It’s a world that you want to try and have a go at, because nobody’s done it before. The series, obviously, is set before the movies and in a very different world. And it’s great to have a go at something that that is as fresh as this.” 


Christian Dior retrospective opens in Riyadh

Christian Dior retrospective opens in Riyadh
Updated 21 November 2024
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Christian Dior retrospective opens in Riyadh

Christian Dior retrospective opens in Riyadh
  • The exhibition, at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia until April 2, explores the legacy of the fashion designer and his successors through a specially curated narrative

RIYADH: An exhibition celebrating the life and work of fashion designer Christian Dior is now open at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia as part of this year’s Riyadh Season.

“Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams,” a retrospective covering more than 75 years of his creativity and design and the work he inspired, is a collaboration between the French fashion house and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

“Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” is a collaboration between the French fashion house and GEA. (Supplied)

The event, which runs until April 2, explores the legacy of Dior and his successors through a fresh narrative specially curated for the show by art historian Florence Muller and scenographer Nathalie Criniere.

The exhibition covers more than 75 years of creativity and design and the work Dior inspired. (Supplied)

Highlights include tributes to some of Dior’s classic designs, such as Miss Dior and J’adore, and an homage to the Lady Dior bag in the form of the Dior Lady Art project.

Faisal Bafarat, the CEO of the General Entertainment Authority, officially opened the exhibition on Wednesday. Tickets are available from the WeBook platform.


Where We Are Going Today: Soul Bowl restaurant in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Soul Bowl restaurant in Riyadh
Updated 21 November 2024
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Where We Are Going Today: Soul Bowl restaurant in Riyadh

Where We Are Going Today: Soul Bowl restaurant in Riyadh

Soul Bowl, an on-the-go healthy meal station is catching the eye of Riyadh’s foodie and wellness fiends with their nutritious bowls and sandwiches.

While most tend to order for delivery, you can enjoy a comfortable and quaint indoor dining experience in their store in As Sahafah; where the neutral colors, soft warm lighting, and pop of green offer a welcoming atmosphere for both solo and social dining.

Soul Bowl’s menu offers a wide selection of salads, bowls, flatbread sandwiches, wraps, soups, and rice meals, as well as fresh juices, desserts and acai bowls. 

Their wraps and bowls are a hit, with the chicken chipotle wrap and the Mexican bowl as big standouts. 

The chicken used is clearly of high quality and cooked very well, and the rest of the ingredients, such as the greens, rice, sauces, feel very fresh. The flatbread sandwiches, however, are a bit of a hit or miss.

The main courses they offer range from tandoori chicken to beef stroganoff.


Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury

Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury
Updated 21 November 2024
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Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury

Spike Lee to preside over Red Sea International Film Festival jury

DUBAI: Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee – known for films like “Malcom X” and “BlacKkKlansman” – will preside over the Red Sea Internation Film Festival’s Red Sea: Features Competition Jury this year.

The fourth edition of the festival will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from Dec. 5 - 14, in Jeddah’s Old Town of Al Balad. 

The Red Sea: Features competition will showcase the highest achievements from a diverse range of filmmakers from the Arab region, Asia and Africa. Sixteen features have been selected to showcase the most compelling, unique and impressive work from the past year, with the winners being selected by Lee and the rest of the jury to receive the coveted Yusr Awards.

In 2023, the Golden Yusr for Best Feature Film was awarded to “In Flames,” directed by Zarrar Khan.

Lee will also participate in the festival’s In Conversation strand, which welcomes industry luminaries from all over the world to share insights and have meaningful discussions about their practice, passions and stories.

Jomana Al Rashid, Chairwoman of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said in a statement: “Looking towards our fourth edition, we’re honoured to welcome the legendary Spike Lee as our President of Jury for the festival this year. Spike is a pioneering director whose iconic work has made a lasting impact on both film as a medium and culture at large. His energy, incisiveness and genuine championing of creativity and new voices makes him an ideal fit to lead our jury for this year - we look forward to him engaging with the burgeoning talent in our competition line up.”

Lee added: “Having been lucky enough to experience first-hand the incredible filmmaking, atmosphere and creativity at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2022, it's a privilege to be returning this year as President of the Jury. Alongside creating a melting pot for cultures to come together in celebration of our important art-form, it's vital to continue to platform young and emerging filmmakers who are finding their voice in the industry, and it's exciting to see first-time directors from across the Arab region, Asia and Africa as part of the Competition lineup this year. I'm looking forward to diving in to the programme and making what I'm sure will be some very tough decisions alongside the leading luminaries on the jury.”