Alaan Artspace launched its opening on Tuesday evening with SoftPower an exhibition of works by three Saudi female artists; Sarah Abu Abdallah, Sarah Mohanna Al-Abdali and Manal Al-Dowayan.
The exhibition will run until Dec. 10 and focuses on the position of women in modern day Saudi society and the connection between daily life and identity. Sara Raza, a London based curator and critic, organized the exhibition. She will also be organizing Alaan’s educational programs.
SoftPower features new commissions by emerging mixed-media artists. Though varied in style and methodology, their works employ a nuanced and at times humorous approach in exploring a woman’s place within contemporary Saudi society.
Sarah Mohanna Al-Abdali’s paintings and works on paper depict female figures whose bodies are cloaked in geometric patterns, including a series of arayis (brides) planted head first into the soil.
Sarah Abu Abdallah’s video presents a wrecked car sourced from a local junkyard. “The artist superimposes her own experience onto the object,” said Neama Alsudairy, the founding director of the new gallery.
Manal Al-Dowayan’s installation incorporates large prayer beads, decorated with the names of individual anonymous women, which were painted in community workshops.
The exhibition provides a platform for dialogue and debate on issues relating to art in Saudi Arabia. It also provides a comprehensive educational program and “ideas factory”. Simultaneously, Alaan’s roaming venue “Project Wall” enables young artists, designers and students to exhibit their artistic works.
Alaan Artspace is a multifunctional venue, unique in Riyadh. It is a contemporary gallery, an educational hub, a restaurant, and Al-Majlis – inspired by traditional Arabic lounges. It has a gift shop, a library, and a coffee house.
Its goal is to nurture emerging and established artists and designers from Saudi Arabia, the region, and across the globe.
The name Alaan, which means “now” in Arabic, is meant to reflect the energy of the art scene in Saudi Arabia and the feeling in Riyadh that a space such as this was long overdue.
Alaan anticipates launching “Hamza,” a bilingual journal highlighting the various art activities within Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Alaan displays works of 3 Saudi female artists
