Saudi artist serves hot-off-the-press culinary designs at Kingdom’s food festival

One of Jeddah-based artist Ethar Balkhair’s creations at the Saudi Feast Food Festival.  (Supplied)
One of Jeddah-based artist Ethar Balkhair’s creations at the Saudi Feast Food Festival. (Supplied)
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Updated 24 December 2022
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Saudi artist serves hot-off-the-press culinary designs at Kingdom’s food festival

One of Jeddah-based artist Ethar Balkhair’s creations at the Saudi Feast Food Festival.  (Supplied)
  • Ethar Balkhair’s distinctive work printed in 10 minutes
  • Dishes from across the nation represented

DHAHRAN: Visitors to the first-ever Saudi Feast Food Festival in Riyadh are in for a special treat as they have a chance to purchase freshly-created merch by Jeddah-based artist Ethar Balkhair.

Balkhair is no stranger to representing Saudi culture in her work. The Dar Al-Hekma University graduate has collaborated with international brands for years including Sephora and Nivea, and TUMI and TUDOR, while always maintaining her Saudi-centric esthetic and contemporary style.




Illustrations created by Saudi artist Ethar Balkhair in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission for their Saudi Feast Food Festival. (Supplied)

Her illustrations use saturated color and bold forms to convey a story and a narrative that transcends the page. Her digital drawings usually include men and women without clear facial features so that the illustrations become more inclusive and a better representation of the diversity of the Kingdom and its people.

“The Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Culinary Arts Commission contacted me to collaborate on the first Saudi Feast Food Festival event — which is a big deal. I started creating a concept based on their event, which includes foods from northern and southern Saudi — basically foods from all over the country. My illustrations were all inspired by Saudi foods from the different regions.”

FASTFACT

Ethar Balkhair’s distinctive work printed in 10 minutes.

“They told me ‘we want you to do the merch with your illustrations.’ The idea was to then place them anywhere — on t-shirts, anything. Usually, my art presents cultural elements but in a very contemporary way. The ministry is now going in a more contemporary direction,” Balkhair told Arab News.

Aprons, notebooks, hoodies and t-shirts are available at the shop at the festival.




Illustrations created by Saudi artist Ethar Balkhair in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission for their Saudi Feast Food Festival. (Supplied)

While Balkhair admits to being a “better eater than cook,” she appreciated how the festival allowed her to make customers feel like each batch was fresh to order and made by hand.

“A printing company is there at the festival with a silkscreen and they will print my illustration in front of you. You pick your size and the colors you want and in 10 minutes, you’ll get it,” Balkhair told Arab News.

Although she is active on Instagram @ethartariq_art, her account is fully dedicated to her art and thus she was able to stealthily lurk in the background and witness the whole scene unfold, undetected.




Illustrations created by Saudi artist Ethar Balkhair in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission for their Saudi Feast Food Festival. (Supplied)

Witnessing customers giddy with excitement with their freshly-printed t-shirt inspired her to make a shift.

In the coming year, the soft-spoken Balkhair hopes to do more in-person collaborations and engage more with art lovers to expand her scope beyond her digital screen.

“I loved seeing people reacting to my work. I was honestly so happy when I attended the first day, people were happy and reacting like ‘ooh!’ It was my first time to get a reaction without them knowing I was there and nobody was trying to flatter me. Nobody even knew I was watching them from afar. It was very nice and it gave me so much confidence,” Balkhair said.

The items are only currently available hot off the press at the festival, which ends on Dec. 29.

For more information on the Culinary Arts Commission, visit their official website at culinary.com.gov.sa. For more on Balkhair’s work, visit her website at https://byethar.com.

 

 


Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
Updated 4 min 41 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia joins air taxi race

CGI of a concept design for a Vertiport developed for Urban Air Mobility by Setec and its partners. (Supplied)
  • French engineering firm Setec Group a key partner in sustainable transport
  • ‘We’re trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment,’ says official

RIYADH: French engineering and consulting firm Setec Group is working on urban air mobility in the Kingdom.

The concept being developed with the company’s European partners and manufacturers aims to provide air mobility for people and goods.

With Dubai expecting to launch its first flying taxi by 2026, and countries considering the service as a way to ease traffic conditions, Saudi Arabia is also joining the race for air mobility.

King Salman Park is the world’s largest urban park in the heart of Riyadh, with multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

The French integrated engineering solutions provider is developing new mobility solutions, especially for the Gulf region, with the development of public transport and soft mobility services for smart cities.

“It is like an air taxi. We have developed a preliminary feasibility study for Riyadh, to connect Riyadh with the new centralities that are being developed in the vicinity, namely Diriyah and Qiddiyah, and the service might be implemented in the coming years, to ease the road infrastructure, and for fast transit between the different centralities,” Patrick Bteich, a partner at Setec Group, told Arab News en Francais.

“Air mobility needs special permits from various ministries,and you need to work on corridors to mitigate security issues … from pilot to the implementation, it can take a few years depending on the regulation. But it’s a project that could be developed for Vision 2030,” Bteich added.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Urban air mobility would serve to ease traffic conditions.

• Dubai expects to launch its first flying taxi by 2026.

• Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

Development of AlUla in recent years has witnessed significant French-Saudi collaboration through the AfAlUla and RCU intergovernmental agreement. The partnerships demonstrate the Kingdom’s ambition to make AlUla a leading international destination for culture and tourism.

Setec Group is one amongst several French companies working in AlUla.

The engineering firm’s presence in AlUla falls in line with the intergovernmental agreement, as well as the group’s desire to expand its presence in the western parts of the Kingdom.

Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

The French group, which is also working on King Salman Park and the development of metro lines, aims to “help the Kingdom reach its objectives as part of Vision 2030,” Bteich said.

“We’re looking to position ourselves, working on iconic buildings in terms of assets, high-rise tower projects, and we are interested in all the metro and LRT (light rail transit) developments that are happening in the region. In Riyadh, we have line extensions that are going to be floated to the market, including the Qiddiya LRT,” he added.

In its manifesto for low-carbon construction, Setec Group committed to offering low-carbon alternatives on its projects.

Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer.

Patrick Bteich, Setec Group partner

“We’re also trying to put our green touch and valued engineering expertise to have buildings and assets with lower impact on the environment. Our motto today is resilience and adapting to climate change, which is quite important in the region knowing that heat waves may become stronger and last longer,” he added.

The engineering firm is focused on international expansion, which makes up more than 30 percent of its activity.

With established offices in KSA, the UAE, and Egypt, the group is centering its efforts and business development in Saudi Arabia, in line with the Kingdom’s mega projects, with three offices across the country.

The Louis Vuitton Foundation, a contemporary art center located in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris. Architectural design by Frank Gehry and multidisciplinary engineering design by Setec. (Supplied)

“In the Kingdom, we are now finalizing our work on the King Salman Park, the landscape design with our partners Gerber Architekten (German architects) and Buro Happold (English engineers), and we have submitted the last package at the end of October, and the construction is underway and within budget. The project is expected to open soon,” Bteich said.

Setec is also working on the project management for Diriyah Gate and has worked on project management within the FAST consortium on 3 out of the 6 metro lines of Riyadh.

“The core of our activity is related to transport and infrastructure: Metros, trains, highways, high-speed lines, airports … this is around 60 percent to 65 percent of our activity, and this was the core activity when we started, with complex structures,” he added.

Among its flagship projects, Setec worked on the French section of the underwater Channel Tunnel between France and the UK.

The group also designed the Viaduc de Millau, the world’s tallest cable-stayed bridge, as well as iconic buildings including the Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum in France, the Tribunal de Justice in Paris, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

“We assist architects in the design to make the project happen … we had the chance to meet key clients from Saudi Arabia recently and it is going to open good opportunities for collaboration,” Bteich said.

Setec Group includes more than 40 companies. The firm develops feasibility studies leading to detailed design studies, environmental impact assessments, and offers client site supervision and consulting services.

 

 

 


International Olympic Committee chief visits Diriyah

(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
Updated 6 sec ago
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International Olympic Committee chief visits Diriyah

(Left from right) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Thomas Bach and Jerry Inzerillo. (Supplied)
  • During his official meeting with Prince Abdulaziz, they discussed the major role played by the Kingdom on the global sporting stage

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal on Sunday accompanied Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, on a tour of the historic Turaif neighborhood in Diriyah, Riyadh. The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority Jerry Inzerillo was also present.

Bach arrived in the Kingdom on Saturday and was also was given a tour of the facilities hosting the ongoing Saudi Games 2023.

During his official meeting with Prince Abdulaziz, they discussed the major role played by the Kingdom on the global sporting stage.

 

 


Saudi students shine in international science contest

The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
Updated 1 min 47 sec ago
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Saudi students shine in international science contest

The Saudi team secured 3 international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) which took place in Thailand.
  • “The organization aims to push them toward success in inspiring scientific and technological paths, prioritizing national interests”

JEDDAH: Saudi students competing against contestants from 55 countries scooped three awards at the 2023 International Junior Science Olympiad.

The competitions, held in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, took place from Dec. 1 to 10.

Representing Saudi Arabia were the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), and the Ministry of Education.

Hussein Habib Al-Saleh clinched a silver medal, while Suha Suleiman Al-Salama and Reda Emad Al-Khalaf were both awarded a bronze, adding to the Saudi science team’s medal tally total of 30 – one gold, six silver, and 23 bronze.

In a post on X, Mawhiba said: “The Saudi team secured three international awards at the International Junior Science Olympiad #IJSO2023, which took place in Thailand and attracted 304 students, representing 55 countries. Congratulations to our Kingdom, our students, and our strategic partner @moe_gov_sa.”

Each member of the Kingdom’s team underwent intensive training at Mawhiba, conducted by a group of expert Saudi and foreign trainers.

Praising the students’ efforts, Amal Al-Hazzaa, Mawhiba’s secretary-general, thanked the ministry, the families of the students, and their schools and teachers for their support.

She said: “Mawhiba strives in all its initiatives to inspire and motivate talented Saudi students with exceptional minds and abilities, enabling them to compete globally in scientific, technological, and applied fields.

“The organization aims to push them toward success in inspiring scientific and technological paths, prioritizing national interests.”

 

 


OIC calls for end to human rights ‘double standards’

A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Updated 10 December 2023
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OIC calls for end to human rights ‘double standards’

A displaced Palestinian man rests next to a tent at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip Dec. 10, 2023. (Reuters)
  • IPHRC voiced concerns after joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day 2023 on Dec. 10, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

RIYADH: The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has condemned what it describes as double standards in applying human rights norms globally in light of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.

The IPHRC voiced its concerns after joining worldwide events to mark Human Rights Day 2023 on Dec. 10, the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In a statement, the commission said that after more than two months of Israeli aggression in Gaza, and more than 17,000 civilian casualties, the international community is failing in its responsibility to act on credible accounts of war crimes being committed by Israeli forces.

The commission urged the international community to intervene for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the enclave.

It also described Israeli orders for civilians in Gaza to evacuate without basic necessities as a violation of International humanitarian law.

The commission voiced concern about human rights violations affecting millions worldwide, and cited the deteriorating conditions for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, persistent violence and discrimination against Muslims in India, and the continued plight of Palestinians and Kashmiris under oppressive regimes.

The IPHRC called for an end to double standards in applying human rights norms globally, and reaffirmed its commitment to promoting good governance, the rule of law, and safeguarding fundamental freedoms.

It also highlighted the need for technological equality and equitable development for OIC member states and other developing nations, and urged the international community to prioritize bridging the technological divide, saying that developing countries face disparities in accessing cutting-edge technologies.

The commission urged member states to adopt innovative, rights-based approaches to address economic, social, and cultural challenges.


Korean Embassy hosts ‘Soul of Korea’ art exhibition in Riyadh

Korean Embassy hosts ‘Soul of Korea’ art exhibition in Riyadh
Updated 10 December 2023
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Korean Embassy hosts ‘Soul of Korea’ art exhibition in Riyadh

Korean Embassy hosts ‘Soul of Korea’ art exhibition in Riyadh

RIYADH: The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Riyadh is hosting the “Oasis/Minhwa Exhibition” at the city’s Ahlam Gallery, which highlights the work of Cho Miyoung.

The event, which also boasts the title “The Soul of Korea,” aims to share the beauty of Korean painting while evoking feelings of peace and serenity.

The works of art set out to promote cultural and mutual understanding through the beauty of Korean folk paintings that detail the various aspects of the country’s art.

Park Joon-yong, the South Korean ambassador to Saudi Arabia, told Arab News: “Cultural exchanges can enhance the ties between the two people and can expand into other fields of cooperation.”

The ambassador highlighted the pivotal role cultural exchange plays in strengthening mutual understanding, cooperation, and bilateral relations between countries such as Saudi Arabia and Korea.

He added: “(Through the exhibition) we are able to affirm that our two people have a friendly sentiment towards the other.

“It is a very good asset for our two people; our two countries also cooperate in many other areas as well.”

The ambassador added that last year the embassy showcased other areas of Korean art, which included hosting a video arts exhibition and one featuring ceramic painting.

He added: “This year we changed the art genre into folk painting. Folk painting is closer and more intimate for the Korean people.”

A diverse group of guests attended the opening of the exhibition, including Saudis, Koreans, Emiratis and Omanis, among others.

Cho told Arab News that through her art she was utilizing the Korean painting tradition of “minhwa” to showcase the healing power of nature.

Traditional folk art was used to wish for the health and good fortune of the family and prevent any harm being inflicted upon them.

The artist said that she had been inspired by the nature and people of Korea, and in staging the event she had seen the many cultural similarities between Saudi Arabia and Korea.

She added: “I am seeing the similarities, not the differences (in culture and people).

“I have been really touched by the way Saudis have greeted me and I feel their welcoming vibrations.”

The opening ceremony also witnessed a staff member at the Korean Embassy guiding guests through breathing exercises to promote health and well-being.

The exhibition is open to the public until Dec. 14.