As modern technology brings everything in our world closer, so too can it divide us. The Greenbox Museum (www.greenboxmuseum.com) is an effort by one man to reach across the cultural divide, both physically and virtually.
“I was disturbed in the Netherlands by the rude way in which questions people have about Islam are used against immigrants who are mostly from poor regions in Morocco and Turkey,” said Aarnout Helb, the founder of the Greenbox Museum. “I have a historical, legal and artistic understanding of the importance of Makkah for the world and know that Saudi Arabia defines itself as having ‘only’ custody over Makkah. It is then legitimate for the world to have an interest in Saudi Arabia and its people.”
In looking for books to learn more about the Kingdom, Helb found that there wasn’t much available. Terrorism seemed to be the primary topic of publications mentioning Saudi Arabia. A shopkeeper in one bookshop told Helb, “that Saudi Arabia is like a closed box; not much goes in and not much comes out.” Thus, his interest in Saudi Arabia grew and he became determined to create a venue where anyone could come to get a glimpse of modern Saudi culture. Renting a space in the center of Amsterdam, Helb has created a museum of contemporary art with a focus on the Kingdom. The museum is open to all and in exchange for a five euro entrance fee, visitors can view his collection and access the research and publications he has gathered about the Kingdom.
The Greenbox Museum owns the work of a number of Saudi Artists. These include Ahmed Mater, Maha Mallu, Lulwah Al-Homoud, Reem Al-Faisal, Abdulnasser Al-Gharem and Ayman Yossri. But simply reaching out to those individuals who can come to the museum personally is not enough for Helb. He has digitized many of the museum’s holdings and put them online to be shared with the global community. The information available includes biographies, portions of reviews and interviews with the artists as well as images of the art itself. Helb has also begun to provide links to other sites focusing on the work of Saudi artists, as well as researching the development of the visual arts in the Kingdom and documenting his discoveries in this area through an extensive online dictionary.