Culture articulates beliefs, values that define a group of people, says Norway’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Norwegian film shown as part of Nordic Culture Week
Ambassador Kjersti Tromsdal addresses attendees
Updated 10 October 2024
Rashid Hassan
RIYADH: Culture articulates beliefs, practices, values, and artistic expressions that define a group of people, said Norway’s new Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Kjersti Tromsdal, adding it shaped our daily lives, influenced interactions, and connected across generations.
Tromsdal was speaking at a Norwegian evening organized as part of Nordic Culture Week that included a special screening of the award-winning film “Songs of Earth” on Wednesday.
Tromsdal added that the Nordic countries shared a rich culture characterized by common values such as equality, community, and a deep respect for nature.
From food and folklore to design and language, these elements helped to create a sense of belonging, she added.
Nordic Culture Week 2024 in Riyadh celebrated the shared culture of the Nordic countries, and presented expressions of the countries’ culture to the people of Saudi Arabia, including films from Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Tromsdal said that in Norway the connection to nature was particularly profound, adding: “Our landscapes, from majestic fjords to rich forests, are not just beautiful: They are integral to our identity.
“The concept of ‘open-air living’ reflects our belief that nature is essential for our well-being. It encourages us to embrace the outdoors, whether through hiking, skiing, or simply enjoying spending time outside in crisp air.”
Tromsdal added that this bond with nature was expressed in folk tales, music, and art, reminding all people of their responsibility to protect the environment.
She added: “This brings me to the special screening of the award-winning film ‘Songs of Earth’ by Margreth Olin, who is a prominent Norwegian filmmaker. She has gained recognition for her ability to explore complex social issues through a cinematic lens.
“The documentary ‘Songs of Earth’ illustrates the intricate relationship between humans and nature, capturing the essence of how our surroundings influence our lives and cultures.
“The film brings us through one of Norway’s most scenic valleys, where generations have been living alongside nature to survive. This is where the filmmaker’s father, now 85 years old, grew up. He will be our guide and take us through the four seasons in Olderdalen.”
Marrakech museum reopens with homage to African art
Morocco’s largest private art museum returning to educational ‘core,’ says co-founder Othman Lazraq
Updated 19 February 2025
Rebecca Anne Proctor
DUBAI: The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al-Maaden, which reopened last week, is returning to its “core” of showcasing the continent’s artists, in addition to breathing a “new and different life” into it, says co-founder Othman Lazraq.
MACAAL was inaugurated in 2018 as the first museum of contemporary art in Marrakech, by founders Othman and his father Alami.
MACAAL (artwork: Fatiha Zemmouri, La pesanteur et la grâce, 2019) By Omar Tajmouati.
It houses the extensive collection of the Lazraq family, one of the most comprehensive private holdings of modern and contemporary African art on the continent.
Originally designed by French architect Didier Lefort, it had been closed since the spring of 2023. The closure took place just a few months before the night of Sept. 8, 2023, when a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck south of Marrakech.
This was the strongest earthquake to hit the country in over a century, severely damaging dozens of buildings in the city — many of which are still being reconstructed.
The revamped museum celebrated its reopening with the new permanent exhibition “Seven Contours, One Collection,” featuring over 150 rotating works from most of Africa’s 54 nations.
The aim is to showcase the breadth and diversity of art from the continent, while breaking down reductive stereotypes and fostering inclusivity.
“We realized we needed a big shift, and that big shift was getting back to the core of what the museum means to us which is more educational,” Lazraq, a practicing architect and associate of Lazraq Studio, told Arab News.
“African art is part of the identity of the collection, and we wanted to share it more broadly.”
The museum will now offer a semi-permanent exhibition format, hosting 150 on rotation from the 2,500-piece collection.
The show marking the reopening presents a poignantly curated presentation of works in a variety of mediums, including photography, painting, textiles, video art, sculpture and installations.
Notable pieces include works by the late Moroccan painter Mohamed Melehi, Moroccan modernist Farid Belkahia, Malian photographer Malick Sidibe, Congolese artist Pierre Bodo, Sudanese painter Salah Elmur, and the late French-Moroccan photographer Leila Alaoui.
For the redesign of the museum, MACAAL entrusted scenographer Franck Houndegla to create a new media library and a permanent space to allow for an expansive collection of African art from the Lazraq family collection. The museum has also launched a new program of site-specific sculpture commissions.
“I want to bring a new and different life to the museum,” said Lazraq, noting how he hopes to bring in music, performance and design to the temporary spaces.
“The mission of (the museum) has always been to democratize access to art to a wider audience.
“Its most important mission is to inspire a generation of artists to feel safe and welcome — where they know there is a museum where their works can be exhibited and collected.”
Manga exhibition in Jeddah explores evolution of Japanese artform
Event strengthens bonds of friendship, cooperation between Kingdom and Japan, says consul-general
Updated 18 February 2025
Nada Hameed
JEDDAH: As Saudi Arabia and Japan celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations, the Consulate-General of Japan in Jeddah is marking the milestone with Manga Hokusai Manga, a three-week art exhibition running until March 8.
Organized in collaboration with the Jeddah Historical Development Project and the Japan Foundation, the exhibition explores the evolution of Japanese manga from the 19th-century works of ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai to the modern format that has gained widespread popularity in the Kingdom.
‘Futatasumakura,’ 1981 by Hinao Sugiura. (AN photos/Supplied)
Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the exhibition highlights both the similarities and contrasts between the artistic styles while showcasing the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling.
Rather than simply focusing on how Hokusai’s work influenced manga, the exhibition invites visitors to compare both styles and understand what makes them unique. It examines themes such as visual storytelling, artistic techniques and cultural participation across different eras.
HIGHLIGHT
The exhibition in Jeddah explores the evolution of Japanese manga from the 19th-century works of ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai to the modern format that has gained widespread popularity in the Kingdom.
Hokusai’s manga drawings, while sometimes resembling cartoons, encompass a wide variety of subjects, from nature to human expressions and everyday life. Unlike modern comics, his work was not centered on humor but balanced artistic instruction with entertainment — much like how manga today combines storytelling with visual artistry.
‘Portrait of Hokuai,’ 2015, by Sawa Sakura. (AN photos/Supplied)
Hokusai created his manga using woodblock printing, transferring the images onto paper in three primary colors: Black, gray and pale peach. The collection, comprising 4,000 illustrations across almost 800 pages, was published between 1814 and 1878 in 15 volumes bound with string.
The phrase denshin kaishu, which precedes the title, translates to “transmitting the spirit and learning the craft,” highlighting the collection’s educational purpose.
Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition showcases the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling. (AN photos/Supplied)
Hokusai Manga was originally used as a reference book for aspiring artists, much like today’s “How to Draw Manga” guides. Similar to modern fan-made manga, his work encouraged learning, copying and artistic experimentation.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Daisuke Yamamoto, the consul-general of Japan in Jeddah, described Hokusai as one of Japan’s greatest artists, modernizing traditional print styles through innovations in subject matter and composition.
Daisuke Yamamoto, Consul-general of Japan in Jeddah
“Hokusai transformed the ukiyo-e genre traditionally focused on images of fleeting pleasures — by shifting its emphasis from people to landscapes and the changing seasons,” Yamamoto said. “His print designs invited audiences to witness nature’s transience, capturing birds in flight, flowers in bloom and water in motion. Through his work, he blended an acute awareness of the fleeting with a deep appreciation for the timeless.”
According to an official statement, Hokusai’s work captured Japan’s diverse landscapes, portraying scenes and activities connected by shared symbols and narratives. He was among the first artists to both shape and be shaped by globalization, drawing from international influences and later inspiring European artists who adopted his decorative motifs, serialized compositions and vision of contemporary society. To this day, countless artists continue to engage with his legacy.
(This exhibition) provides an opportunity for a wide range of people to know about each other’s culture, which will be reflected in the future in their understanding of each other and facilitate all other aspects of cooperation.
Daisuke Yamamoto, Consul-general of Japan in Jeddah
Reflecting on the exhibition’s significance, Yamamoto highlighted its role in strengthening cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan: “Holding this exhibition and other cultural events basically confirmed the excellent cultural cooperation between Japan and Saudi Arabia, and strengthens the bonds of friendship and cooperation, and provides an opportunity for a wide range of people to know about each other’s culture, which will be reflected in the future in their understanding of each other and facilitate all other aspects of cooperation.”
Hokusai’s manga drawings, while sometimes resembling cartoons, encompass a wide variety of subjects, from nature to human expressions and everyday life. (AN photos/Supplied)
Since the 1970s, Hokusai himself has appeared as a character in manga, reimagined by various artists in styles ranging from realistic portrayals to fantastical interpretations. This reflects manga’s evolution, blending historical figures with contemporary storytelling techniques.
Ukiyo-e, the popular art of the 18th and 19th centuries, foreshadowed comic techniques such as visualizing the invisible. However, its speech-like balloons often depicted dreams rather than dialogue, and weather lines were integrated into the scene rather than used as abstract symbols.
Hosted at Bait Amir Bahar in Al-Balad, one of Jeddah’s historic homes, the Manga Hokusai Manga exhibition showcases the cultural depth of Japanese storytelling. (AN photos/Supplied)
Hokusai’s most popular collection of printed drawings was named “manga.” While the collection is primarily known for its diverse subjects and painting style, its frequent portrayal of exaggerated expressions and acrobatic scenes has led many to associate “manga” with cartoons or humorous images.
When compared to the work of his contemporary, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, it becomes clear that Hokusai’s manga images were not necessarily intended to be funny.
In 19th-century Japan, the success of Hokusai’s manga was rooted in the balance between the mundane and the whimsical, instruction and entertainment. This blend helped secure the collection’s lasting appeal.
Today’s Japanese comics share similarities in content, particularly in their focus on capturing movement, and in their wide circulation, thanks to advancements in reproduction technology.
Medhat Shafik’s ‘Odyssey’ on show at Riyadh’s Errm Gallery
Updated 18 February 2025
Rahaf Jambi
RIYADH: Riyadh’s Errm Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Italy-based Egyptian artist Medhat Shafik until March 31.
Titled “Odyssey,” the showcase features select works by the artist who won Egypt’s first Venice Biennale award in 1995.
Titled “Odyssey,” the showcase features select works by the artist. (AN Photo)
Shafik, born in El-Badari, Egypt, in 1956, has lived and worked in Italy since 1976. He graduated from Milan’s fine arts Brera Academy with a diploma in painting and set design. Shafik built up a reputation for blending the colors and lines of Orientalist art forms with the visual vocabulary of Western avant-garde movements.
“This is my first exhibition in Riyadh,” Shafik remarked to Arab News. “I found it very welcoming and hospitable. This was expected, as the people of the Gulf and the Arab world have a long history dating back to the time of the Pharaohs. I feel a close connection between these ancient civilizations; it resonates with my travels.”
Riyadh’s Errm Gallery is hosting an exhibition by Italy-based Egyptian artist Medhat Shafik. (AN Photo)
Inspired by the poetry of Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, the exhibition explores the concept of “life (as) a continuous journey, filled with experiences that enrich our understanding of existence,” the artist explained.
Known for his use of mixed media, the artist often employs materials that have been discarded. “I feel like an archaeologist, digging to uncover fragments of history,” he said.
One unique piece depicts an archaeological formation resembling a half-moon, with mixed media mounted on a large-scale canvas.
Layali Diriyah brings art, culture, global flavors to its 4th edition
Host of winter entertainment options celebrate ancient Saudi city’s history, identity
Food, luxury retail, hands-on heritage activities among visitor attractions
Updated 18 February 2025
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: Layali Diriyah, the immersive winter entertainment experience, is offering a range of cultural and culinary experiences that celebrate the identity and history of the ancient city of Diriyah.
Now in its fourth edition, the event offers live music, light displays, and a number of restaurants.
Asma Al-Shehri, one of the visitors, told Arab News: “The place is absolutely stunning, and it’s even more well-prepared than I expected. What impressed me the most was the incredible hospitality — the organizers are everywhere, ready to assist and welcome you.”
Layali Diriyah opened on Feb. 12, 2025 as part of Diriyah Season 24/25.
Food lovers can indulge in a selection of flavors at six cafes and nine restaurants, featuring both local and international cuisines. The event also includes 13 luxury retail stores, giving visitors access to renowned brands, unique handcrafted items, and winter-inspired food and beverage stalls.
A highlight of this year’s event is the “Chef’s Table Experience,” where visitors can enjoy exclusive dishes prepared for the occasion. This fine-dining experience, with its elegant winter atmosphere, adds a luxurious touch to the vibrant energy of Layali Diriyah.
Standout features of this year’s event include interactive art installations such as the palm frond bridge. Other attractions include traditional swings and live folk performances.
Visitors can also engage in hands-on heritage activities that celebrate Diriyah’s historical significance, allowing them to experience the traditions and customs that define the region.
Entry to Layali Diriyah is SR185 ($49) per person. Alternatively, visitors can book a table at one of the participating restaurants and pay the entrance fee through The Chefz app. The event also provides a shuttle service from designated parking areas.
Inside the AlMuqtani Gallery at the Diriyah Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
The gallery showcases works from the collections of Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saudi collector Rifaat Sheikh El-Ard
Updated 15 February 2025
Rebecca Anne Proctor
RIYADH: The second edition of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation's Islamic Arts Biennale is themed “And All That Is In Between.” The title draws from the Qur’anic verse “And God created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in between” and, of the biennale’s seven sections, the one that arguably best represents this connection between the earthly and spiritual realms is AlMuqtani (which means homage in Arabic).
Here, curator Amin Jaffer showcases the connection of the material world to the spiritual realm through rare pieces from two notable collections: those of Qatari royal Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Thani and Saudi collector Rifaat Sheikh El-Ard, owner of the Furusiyya Collection.
Curator Amin Jaffer. (Supplied)
The Al-Thani Collection, of which Jaffer is also the director, reflects the varied tastes of its founder, who began collecting works of art at the age of 18. Today, it includes more than 5,000 objects spanning multiple civilizations and geographies and is known for its superb collection of precious materials and objects. Its breadth and vision reflect Sheikh Hamad's early exposure to museums such as the Louvre in Paris, which he visited with his mother as a young boy.
Art from the Islamic world, however, holds particular importance for Sheikh Hamad, reflecting his own culture and upbringing as well as his ties and inspiration drawn from his friendships with Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, founder of Dar Al-Athar al-Islamiyyah in Kuwait, and Sheikh Saoud bin Mohamed Al-Thani, who developed the collection of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Jaffer says that Sheikh’s Hamad’s acquisitions are guided by the aesthetic and cultural significance of each piece, regardless of its era.
“The Al-Thani collection has more than 5,000 works art, from neolithic to contemporary,” Jaffer tells Arab News. “The Islamic collection is relatively small, and what we are showing is the highlights from that part of the collection, focusing on the variety, whether manuscripts, miniature painting works in metal, or glass jewelry.”
The AlMuqtani section of the art fair. (Diriyah Biennale Foundation)
Selections from the collection have previously been exhibited at prestigious institutions worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Forbidden City in Beijing, and the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, and highlights are now housed in a dedicated space at l'Hôtel de la Marine, a historic monument in Paris.
The second part of the gallery is dedicated to a selection of objects of chivalric culture, including arms and armor from the Islamic world from El-Ard’s collection, which he began in 1980. He decided to concentrate his acquisitions on the often overlooked area of weaponry from the Islamic world. The collection now contains more than 1,000 pieces, including rare examples of some of the most remarkable Islamic weapons ever crafted.
A jade jug from Central Asia, created sometime in the first half of the 16th century CE, part of the Al-Thani collection. (Supplied)
While the collection’s primary focus is on Islamic arms and armor, it has now expanded to include exceptional pieces of metalwork and other materials, many of which have never been publicly shown until now.
Both collections comprise objects ranging from the Umayyad to Ottoman periods exuding breathtaking beauty and meticulously rendered craftsmanship.
“AlMuqtani is very much about beauty,” says Jaffer. “The material or the tangible comes across. Unlike the other galleries, which have very strong stories, or have objects grouped to tell a very particular message, that is not the case here. It’s about the individual works of art and the taste and vision of the collectors. When people ask me what unites these objects, I would say the unifying factor is the collectors.
“Both men are deeply, deeply involved in every aspect of the collection,” he continues. “But the most important point is acquisition. These pieces reflect, above all, the taste and the sensibilities of these two men. Through the curation of this gallery, we wanted visitors to become lost in the experience of the aesthetics of each object.”