Saudi artist uses coins to create portraits of kings, leaders

Hisham Al-Najjar now hopes to sell his paintings to those interested in creative and distinctive artworks. (Photo/Saleh Fareed)
Hisham Al-Najjar now hopes to sell his paintings to those interested in creative and distinctive artworks. (Photo/Saleh Fareed)
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Updated 01 June 2022

Saudi artist uses coins to create portraits of kings, leaders

Hisham Al-Najjar now hopes to sell his paintings to those interested in creative and distinctive artworks. (Photo/Saleh Fareed)
  • Al-Najjar hit the spotlight after he created a picture of King Salman using coins from around the world. “The image of King Salman required 9,000 coins. It took a larger number of coins than the other portraits and it took me three months to finish”
  • Coins are really quite fascinating and as I got older, I had quite a massive supply of Saudi and foreign coins

JEDDAH: For artist Hisham Al-Najjar, painting on canvas or papers is conventional.

Instead, the Jeddah-based artist uses pennies and other international coins as the backdrop for his impressive paintings.

“Collecting Saudi and international coins has been my hobby for the past 25 years because it has been my favorite hobby beside drawing and painting,” said Al-Najjar, who is an enthusiastic collector of international coins.

Al-Najjar revealed that he has a treasure chest with more than 100,000 coins from different regions around the world, which he collected through antique shops and rare coin auctions. He now uses them to create professional paintings.

HIGHLIGHT

While displaying his coin portraits in Balad as part of the Jeddah Season, Hisham Al-Najjar told Arab News that his life had taken a different direction after he assembled all the pennies he had collected over the years to make portraits of prominent figures.

He began working as a coin artist in 2015 after he retired from the trade industry in 2014.

The artist garnered attention when he started to display his work at events and festivals such as the National Day, Foundation Day, Jeddah Season and other local exhibitions.

Al-Najjar hit the spotlight after he created a picture of King Salman using coins from around the world. “The image of King Salman required 9,000 coins. It took a larger number of coins than the other portraits and it took me three months to finish,” he said.

“I then thought of (creating) artistic portraits of our crown prince and previous kings. I started with drawing their pictures and then filled them with coins.”

The artist has already made 40 other coin portraits including kings of Saudi Arabia, princes, and leaders of the Gulf countries — such as King Abdulaziz, King Faisal, King Fahad, King Khalid, King Abdullah, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Shiekh Khalifa bin Zaid, Shiekh Mohammed bin Zaid and Shiekh Mohammed bin Rashid.

While displaying his coin portraits in Balad as part of the Jeddah Season, Al-Najjar told Arab News that his life had taken a different direction after he assembled all the pennies he had collected over the years to make portraits of prominent figures.

“Coins are really quite fascinating and as I got older, I had quite a massive supply of Saudi and foreign coins. So, when King Salman became the ruler of Saudi Arabia in 2015, I immediately thought of doing something new by using these coins to express my support to the new Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,” he said.

The second-largest image that Al-Najjar created was of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with 2,800 coins.

Al-Najjar now hopes to sell his paintings to those interested in creative and distinctive artworks.

He also aims to make the largest portrait in the world with coins and enter it in Guinness World Records.

 


Doctor advises on how to stay healthy during Ramadan

Doctor advises on how to stay healthy during Ramadan
Updated 46 min 6 sec ago

Doctor advises on how to stay healthy during Ramadan

Doctor advises on how to stay healthy during Ramadan
  • Water, proteins, sleep, exercise key, says physician
  • Avoid calorie-dense juices, smoothies, ice cream

RIYADH: When fasting from dawn to dusk during the holy month of Ramadan many people can overlook the importance of a well-rounded diet and either overeat or fail to ingest enough nutrients for the day.

Dr. Mohammed Baker Alawamy, a consultant adult gastroenterologist and therapeutic endoscopist from Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, highlighted several ways of keeping healthy this Ramadan through diet and exercise.

“Drink ample amounts of water, try to limit the amount of refined sugars in your diet, and be cognizant (of) the amount of protein you consume,” Alawamy said.

Eating proper nutrition — such as a Mediterranean diet — staying hydrated and getting enough sleep can nurture the body during Ramadan and harness the benefits of fasting. (Shutterstock)

Many people find themselves overeating during the month of Ramadan while others complain of weight loss due to having a lower caloric intake. The ideal wellness goal while fasting is finding the right balance that provides the body with proper nutrition to complete the fast.

“My rule of thumb is 1 gram of protein for each kilogram of body weight to reduce the muscle losses during the fasting month of Ramadan,” Alawamy said.

HIGHLIGHT

The ideal wellness goal while fasting is finding the right balance that provides the body with proper nutrition to complete the fast. Many people have their sleep disrupted because of the tradition of spending late nights with family and friends. Maintaining proper sleep is also important in Ramadan.

The holy month of Ramadan is one of the best times to create a reset for the body with changes in habits including avoiding unhealthy food.

When choosing the right sahoor or iftar drink to consume, many people choose smoothies believing that it is a healthy option that will satisfy their hunger throughout the day.

Eating proper nutrition — such as a Mediterranean diet — staying hydrated and getting enough sleep can nurture the body during Ramadan and harness the benefits of fasting. (Shutterstock)

“What I usually tell my patients, the worst kind of calorie you can consume is one that is easily absorbed, does not satisfy your hunger, and is calorie dense,” Alawamy said.

Alawamy explained that most of these calorie-dense foods include juices, smoothies and ice cream.

“Obviously, you can make smoothies that are balanced and nutritionally excellent, but most people use frozen fruits, add sugar or ice cream, and do not include much fiber in that mix,” he said.

High fiber, balanced diets such as the Mediterranean diet have been shown to affect health positively. (Supplied)

When asked about what “gut-healthy” foods people should make a part of their Ramadan routine, Alawamy explained that he has some reservations about the term gut healthy since it is “always misconstrued or misrepresented.”

“It is always best to stick to the basics. High fiber, balanced diets such as the Mediterranean diet have been shown to affect health positively,” he explained.

Many medical experts suggest avoiding eating processed foods and relying on nutritional options such as fresh fruits and vegetables and snacks such as nuts.

Diet and exercise are two ways to stay healthy this Ramadan. (Shutterstock)

“Nuts contain a significant amount of polyunsaturated fats, which are healthy and help reduce the (craving) for other less nutritious foods,” the doctor said.

When the month of Ramadan begins many stop exercising completely, but Alawamy says it is a great time to do light workouts.

“It (Ramadan) is an excellent opportunity for most people to do low-intensity level exercises, for example, normal pace walking or brisk walking as well as stretching and yoga,” he said.

People can even engage in high-intensity exercise after breaking their fast, he said.

Maintaining proper sleep is also important in Ramadan. In many parts of the world, many have their sleep disrupted because of the tradition of spending late nights with family and friends.

Some people use Ramadan as a time to be drastically reduce food intake but losing weight too quickly can potentially be harmful to the body. Therefore, it is important to find a certain balance when it comes to the quality and quantity of the foods consumed, ways of staying active and regulating the body’s sleeping schedule.

When trying to find a healthy Ramadan routine that suits your individual needs and health requirements one can feel overwhelmed by the different voices and opinions online. It is always best to do thorough research and contact a trusted physician for advice.

 


Saudi minister meets French envoy in Riyadh

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi meets with Ludovic Pouille in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi meets with Ludovic Pouille in Riyadh. (Supplied)
Updated 11 sec ago

Saudi minister meets French envoy in Riyadh

Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi meets with Ludovic Pouille in Riyadh. (Supplied)
  • They reviewed bilateral relations and discussed developments of common interests

RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Rassi met Ambassador of France to the Kingdom Ludovic Pouille in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, they reviewed bilateral relations and discussed developments of common interests.

In another meeting, the Saudi minister held talks in Riyadh with Nahid Hussein, the resident representative of the UN Development Programme for the Kingdom.

During the meeting, they reviewed relations between the Kingdom and the UN and aspects of cooperation.

 

 


Who’s Who: Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi, acting deputy minister at the Ministry of Education

Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi
Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi
Updated 12 min 45 sec ago

Who’s Who: Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi, acting deputy minister at the Ministry of Education

Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi

Dr. Sharifah Abdullah Al-Rajhi has been the acting deputy minister for planning and development at the Ministry of Education since 2022.

She is responsible for developing strategic and operational plans for the ministry, producing its institutional performance, building and managing informational statistical reports, and proposing necessary changes in educational policies based on research.

Prior to her current role, Al-Rajhi served as assistant deputy minister for planning and development and general manager for the education statistics center at the Ministry of Education.

Her main target involved transforming the Ministry of Education to become more data-driven and enhancing the quality of education in alignment with Vision 2030. She designed and managed two major initiatives, involving managing and sharing education data, for a Vision 2030 human capability development program.

Al-Rajhi made several strategic decisions based on accurate and dynamic data across the Kingdom’s education sector. Her achievements include providing national and international organizations with statistics and indicators from the sector and working on multiple projects within the ministry, including capacity and demand management and the educational performance portal, Qarar.

Al-Rajhi also worked at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah and Florida State University in the US and served as a member of multiple committees at the Saudi Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economy and Planning and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

She was also a part of the executive committee of the UN E-Government Development Index at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

At the General Authority for Statistics, she was a member of the executive and steering committee for Census 2020.

Al-Rajhi received a Ph.D. in data science and two master’s degrees in biostatistics and applied statistics from Florida State University. She was certified in SAS programming and data analysis from the same university in the US.

 


Saudi interior minister, UK Home Secretary sign raft of agreements at meeting in London

Saudi interior minister, UK Home Secretary sign raft of agreements at meeting in London
Updated 51 min 4 sec ago

Saudi interior minister, UK Home Secretary sign raft of agreements at meeting in London

Saudi interior minister, UK Home Secretary sign raft of agreements at meeting in London
  • The session saw the signing of several agreements in the security, development and training fields

LONDON: Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, the Saudi Minister of the Interior, met with the UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman in London on Tuesday.

Prince Abdulaziz thanked the British Home Secretary for hosting the meeting, which reflected the common desire to boost the strategic and historical ties between the two countries.

The prince stressed that the Saudi government valued and appreciated the existing security cooperation, referring to the ongoing security coordination between the two countries' ministries of interior.

During the session, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen and develop the courses of joint security cooperation.

The session saw the signing of several agreements in the security, development and training fields between the Ministry of the Interior of Saudi Arabia and the UK Home Office.

The session was attended by Prince Khaled bin Bandar, Saudi Ambassador to the UK, the undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Interior Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al-Falih, and a number of officials from the two countries.


Jordan’s Queen Rania visits Bizat Al-Reeh exhibition, Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Jordan’s Queen Rania visits Bizat Al-Reeh exhibition, Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Updated 48 min 16 sec ago

Jordan’s Queen Rania visits Bizat Al-Reeh exhibition, Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah

Jordan’s Queen Rania visits Bizat Al-Reeh exhibition, Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
  • Charity official hails queen’s attendance in highlighting event, emphasizing its global reach
  • Jordanian royal also performed Umrah in Makkah, held iftar banquet for women

JEDDAH: Jordan’s Queen Rania on Monday attended the opening of the 22nd Bizat Al-Reeh exhibition at Jeddah Superdome, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Proceeds from the six-day event, being held under the patronage of Princess Adila bint Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, will go toward the National Charity Foundation for Home Healthcare of which the princess is chairwoman.
Foundation vice president, Abeer Qabbani, welcomed the queen and noted that her attendance gave added significance to the exhibition and emphasized its global reach, evidenced by this year’s strong international presence.
Bizat Al-Reeh — organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture as part of the Kingdom’s Ramadan celebrations — plays host to at least 170 local and regional participants from more than 15 countries.
Jordan River Designs was making its debut at this year’s event with a display of handcrafted heritage items.
Other products being showcased include home accessories, jewelry, food, and fashion items and a series of activities allow visitors to interactively browse displays and artworks.
Queen Rania also visited the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah produced by Diriyah Biennale Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 2020 by the Ministry of Culture.
The foundation’s chief executive officer, Aya Al-Bakree, showed the queen around the gallery which hosts more than 300 artworks, including 40 pieces created by international institutions and around 200 heritage items produced locally that feature several valuable historical artifacts from the Two Holy Mosques.
Titled “Awwal Bait” (“First House”) in reference to the Kaaba in Makkah, the first edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale features more than 60 established and emerging artists from around the world, at least 60 new commissions, 280 artifacts, and 15 artworks exhibited for the first time.
In addition, the Jordanian royal visited Makkah to perform Umrah and held an iftar banquet for a number of Jordanian women, part of her Ramadan Umrah mission consisting of 500 women.