The wall in Briman that is devoted to street artists. (AN photo by Hasan Hatrash)

JEDDAH, 15 February 2007 — Abadi Ziad is the head of Jeddah’s X5 graffiti group, devoted to an art form that is by definition an act of subversion. Even the most beautiful works of street art done by such masters as the UK’s Banksy are viewed by many as little more than products of delinquency and vandalism.

But this week the Jeddah municipality sent an olive branch to the city’s graffiti artists with the inauguration of a 60-meter-long wall in the Briman district of north Jeddah intended to be an open and legal canvas for street artists.

“Now that we can work with peace and concentration, I’m sure that many talents and great graffiti will emerge,” said Ziad.

During Tuesday’s inauguration, about 50 young men showed up for a graffiti frenzy. The city even provided the young men with paint.

Some of the young men even confessed to being responsible for some of the illegal graffiti in the city and said they would stick to using the wall designated for their work from now on.

Nasir Al-Muttib, head of the municipality’s branch in Briman, said that the city established this wall at the local public park to positively harness the talents of young artists and to discourage them from defacing walls throughout the city.

Mohammed Al-Tamimi, supervisor of municipal offices around Jeddah, said that other graffiti canvases might be erected in other parts of the city to promote public arts. The city is also considering a best-in-show monthly prize.

When the walls fill up, he said, the city would paint over them. “Only the good graffiti paintings would be left for display,” he said.