UK literary festival cancels sponsor after pro-Palestine boycott
Speakers, performers pull out from scheduled appearances in protest over Baillie Gifford sponsorship
Boycott organizer: Hay must shun future sponsorship by companies with links to ‘Israeli occupation, apartheid or genocide’
Updated 25 May 2024
Arab News
LONDON: The UK’s Hay literary festival has dropped its main sponsor over a boycott criticizing its links to Israel and fossil fuel companies.
Speakers and performers at the festival pulled out from scheduled appearances in protest over investment firm Baillie Gifford’s sponsorship of the event, The Guardian reported.
On Friday, the festival said it was canceling its sponsorship deal with the firm.
Singer Charlotte Church and comedian Nish Kumar had earlier pulled out of appearing at the event.
In a statement on her social media channels, Church said she had taken part in the boycott “in solidarity with the people in Palestine and in protest of the artwashing and greenwashing that is apparent in this sponsorship.”
Fossil Free Books, the group that has led the campaign against Baillie Gifford’s sponsorship of the event, has demanded that the firm divest from companies “that profit from Israeli apartheid, occupation and genocide.”
More than 700 writers and publishing professionals have signed a statement by FFB concerning the Hay festival campaign.
Kumar shared the statement online in announcing the cancelation of his appearance.
An FFB organizer said: “Hay festival is right to listen to the concerns of hundreds of book workers who are working to create fossil-free and genocide-free festivals.
“Hay must now develop a fundraising policy that rules out any future sponsorship by companies that invest or profit from the fossil fuel industry, Israeli occupation, apartheid or genocide, and any other human rights abuses.”
Hay CEO Julie Finch said the festival’s decision to cancel the sponsorship deal with the firm was taken “in light of claims raised by campaigners and intense pressure on artists to withdraw.”
She added: “Our first priority is to our audience and our artists. Above all else, we must preserve the freedom of our stages and spaces for open debate and discussion, where audiences can hear a range of perspectives.”
Baillie Gifford began its relationship with the festival in 2016 as a principal sponsor. A spokesperson said: “It is regrettable our sponsorship with the festival cannot continue.”
Model Mona Tougaard stars in cruise collection campaign
Updated 09 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Danish model Mona Tougaard this week shared her latest collaboration with Louis Vuitton on Instagram, showcasing the French luxury brand’s Women’s Cruise 2025 collection.
Set in Barcelona, the collection draws from Spanish architectural styles, with the brand’s post referring to the new releases as “an ode to the art of travel.”
In one of the photos, Tougaard wore a fitted black sleeveless bodysuit paired with voluminous black shorts, accentuated by a wide white belt with a bold buckle. Her accessories include a structured black handbag with metallic accents, a wide-brimmed white hat and knee-high brown boots.
In another shot, she wore a loose, long-sleeved white blouse with wide cuffs, paired with sleek black trousers. She completed the look with a pastel-blue Louis Vuitton handbag in a structured, boxy shape featuring the brand’s signature “LV” logo in metallic detail, along with a wide-brimmed black hat.
The campaign was shot by British photographer Jamie Hawkesworth and showcases notable Barcelona landmarks, including Antoni Gaudi’s La Pedrera and Park Guell, as well as the Fundacio Joan Miro.
Each location reflects Louis Vuitton artistic director Nicolas Ghesquiere’s choice to highlight bold, structured silhouettes.
This is not Tougaard’s first collaboration with Louis Vuitton. In 2023, she appeared in a high-profile campaign for the brand’s LV Archlight 2.0 collection, alongside US rapper Jaden Smith, actress Chloe Grace Moretz and Chinese footballer Sam Li Sirong. She has also walked the runway for Louis Vuitton many times.
Tougaard began her modeling career in 2017 after winning the Elite Model Look Denmark competition at just 15. Since then, she has established herself as a prominent figure in fashion, working with renowned designers and luxury brands such as Prada, Fendi, Chanel, Loewe and Valentino.
In June, Tougaard was appointed artistic talent director for Berlin-based magazine-turned-fashion label 032c’s menswear spring/summer 2025 collection.
“Tougaard is an inherent member of the 032c universe, who has starred on our magazine covers, our editorials and our previous FW-24 show. It is an organic progression to involve Tougaard more closely in 032c’s creative processes together with creative director Maria Koch and fashion director Ras Bartram,” the brand announced in a post at the time.
DUBAI: Mexican multi-disciplinary artist Sami Hayek brought his work to the UAE for the first time as part of the selling exhibition, “Frequency,” which will be displayed at Christie’s in Dubai until Nov. 14.
More than 20 pieces are on show, with one bespoke creation designed for the exhibition — the “Dubai Credenza.”
Inspired by the hummingbird, Hayek told Arab News he sees similarities between Dubai and the vibrant, colorful bird whose wings move at an extraordinary frequency — qualities the artist equates with the region.
“I felt an analogy between the region and a hummingbird. A hummingbird because it is small and powerful, things happen very fast, the wings of a hummingbird are the fastest there are and there is a lot of diversity. There are about 360 different hummingbirds,” he said.
Created to be a modular piece of furniture for a living or dining space, it is made from anodized aluminum, with solid walnut interiors, volcanic rock feet and glass beads hand-laid by artisans in a small Mexican community.
The collection consists of interactive artworks designed to be touched and spun by viewers, encouraging visitors to engage with the works — for example, the “Mini Wing” side tables feature a 360-degree rotating top and a secret compartment.
“I believe that objects absorb intention and that they can emanate intention. Space is powerful. If you are in a healthy space, it enhances the way you think and behave,” Hayek explained of the motivation behind creating his artistic furniture.
“Your surroundings dictate the way you think, the way you feel, your health and your behavior. I wanted to do some exercises and some practice into how much intention I can invest into an object and how much of it can the object emanate to whomever engages it,” he said.
The premise seems to have come to fruition with his series of interactive works, including the aptly named Collector’s Table that can be customized according to each person’s interests. The table features a glass cover that allows for displaying a collection of items.
The design was a collaboration between Hayek, whose sister happens to be Hollywood actress Salma Hayek, and his fine jewelry designer wife Daniela Villegas, who collects beetles and sought alternatives to framing her collection.
“Whenever you go into space, you have a reaction or an emotion. I want these pieces to provoke an emotion of self-reflection and inspiration so they are charged intentionally with this. Hopefully they do that for some people,” Hayek said.
Ancient Italian masterpieces arrive in AlUla for first regional exhibit at Maraya
Updated 08 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: The Royal Commission for AlUla has partnered with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples to bring ancient masterpieces from its renowned collection to Saudi Arabia and the region for the first time.
The agreement between RCU and MANN will facilitate the transport of a curated collection of artifacts from Naples to AlUla for the “Masterpieces of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples” exhibit.
Statuette of Alexander on horseback Herculaneum, 1st century BCE Bronze. (Supplied)
This exhibit, a highlight of AlUla’s 2024 Ancient Kingdoms Festival, is on display at Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, until Dec. 14.
Fifteen masterpieces from ancient sites such as Pompeii, Herculaneum and Rome are being presented to a regional audience for the first time, marking a historic debut outside Italy.
The Nilotic Mosaic, displayed abroad only once before in Japan, will also be featured.
Statue of Trajan Minturno, late 1st century CE Marble. (Supplied)
Abdulrahman Al-Suhaibani, vice president of culture at the RCU, said: “The National Archaeological Museum of Naples is a repository of masterpieces that reveal the wonders and richly interconnected stories that helped shaped the ancient world — key among them are Nabataean artifacts including alters and inscriptions dedicated to the Nabataean chief deity Dushares that show the extent of that civilization, from AlUla in northwest Arabia to the shores of southern Europe.”
“It’s a privilege for RCU to host the masterpieces of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples exhibit and to display its wonderful collection of ancient artifacts for the first time in the region as we build toward an exciting calendar of cultural events, including the AlUla World Archaeological Symposium and the Ancient Kingdom’s Festival,” he said.
The performers include pop icon Robbie Williams on Dec. 28, Iranian music legend Ebi on Jan. 4, American vocal harmony group Boyz II Men on Jan. 25, Egypt’s renowned composer Omar Khairat on Feb. 1, and US pop sensation Christina Aguilera on Feb. 15.
Buble, celebrated for his signature blend of swing and jazz, has delighted fans around the world with hits including “Home,” “Sway,” and his rendition of “Feeling Good.”
The Grammy Award-winning artist has sold over 75 million albums globally, making his upcoming performance a highly anticipated event.
Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer discusses her female-centric works and the ‘universe within’ Arab women
Updated 08 November 2024
Rawaa Talass
DUBAI: Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer has devoted herself to depicting narratives of women through her multimedia art, which merges collage, photography and tapestry. From childhood, her life was shaped by the female presence, she says, whether that meant family members or characters in legends.
Al-Nemer comes from Al-Qatif in the Eastern Province, one of the oldest cities in the Kingdom. “Imagine,” she says, “it’s an area that existed 600 years before Jesus.” She now lives on Tarout Island just off the coast of Al-Qatif. The island’s name is possibly derived from Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war — it was here that she was expelled, abandoned by her community.
“Color of Life.” (Supplied)
Al-Nemer claims that every household in her hometown holds some form of artist within its walls. “Al-Qatif’s rich cultural history affected us all,” she says. “It was a magical city, attracting tradespeople from Persia and Anatolia. We grew up with these stories.”
Her mother, who had an eye for design, was her earliest supporter. She provided her daughter with art materials and didn’t even scold her for painting on the walls of their family home. “She even paid for my art classes,” Al-Nemer says. “She always called me the artist of the family. If my mother wasn’t by my side, it would have been impossible for me to become an artist.”
For the young Al-Nemer, drawing and painting was her only outlet for self-expression. “As a child, I was fearful and endured social anxiety, so I would only express myself through art,” she says. “It boosted my confidence. I used to draw on walls and on paper. If I was sad or happy, I would draw about what was making me feel that way. I was impacted by art and it became a language for me.”
Al-Nemer with “Malak,” one of her works. (Supplied)
By the time she was 18, Al-Nemer had shifted from taking art classes to teaching them, and had already participated in some exhibitions. She also worked as a jewelry designer in a gold factory. And in 2009 she took the decision to travel abroad to further her studies.
She went to Jordan, where she enrolled as an interior design student at the Philadelphia University in Amman, exposing herself to a cultural openness offered by the capital city.
“In Jordan, people were highly cultured. Its environment was rich with artists and poets. You’re not just studying art there, you’re also going to the theater. I even performed there,” she says.
In the early days of her art career, Al-Nemer experimented with oil paintings and charcoal, depicting classical, surrealistic and symbolist scenes. At one point, she was solely making self-portraits, which she says caused some issues with family members and others, particularly when they were published in magazines and newspapers.
“Gold.” (Supplied)
“I think I was saying: ‘I am Fatimah. Accept me for who I am. I am an artist and I represent this identity and my culture and I am proud of it,’” she explains.
Eventually, though, she expanded her focus to include women other than herself. She has been inspired by personal stories from fellow Saudi women. “I used to listen and live their stories as if I was the heroine of their tales,” she says.
In her large, detailed, carpet-like artworks, which are full of ornamentation and native cultural symbols, she pays tribute to Saudi and Arab women, adorned in traditional attire while holding objects related to her homeland, such as a musical instrument or an incense burner. They reflect her attachment to her roots.
“Princess of the North 1.” (Supplied)
“I try to embody the Arab woman with certain admirable qualities. She is the butterfly, the mother, the sister, the doctor. She is the giver,” says Al-Nemer. “She is not just a figure; there is a universe within her. It is like a letter of appreciation for all that she stands for and has given to society.”
She also treats these images, which she started making nearly a decade ago, as research-like documentation of traditional Saudi dress and cultural symbolism, focusing on specific areas of the Kingdom (beginning, of course, with her own hometown).
Often, she depicts women with their mouths or eyes covered. In part, this is to encourage viewers to focus on the details surrounding the women in her portraits, but it also reflects some of the creative limitations she experienced when younger, when it was frowned upon to make figurative art in the Kingdom. Now, however, as Saudi Arabia opens up, she feels more free in her practice.
“As artists, our lives have changed 180 degrees,” she says of the current Saudi cultural scene. “Art has become more than a profession.”
