Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla collaborates with Centre Pompidou on new museum

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla collaborates with Centre Pompidou on new museum
The agreement was signed by Arts AlUla executive director Nora Aldabal and Centre Pompidou president Laurent Le Bon in the presence of Prince Badr bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of RCU, and French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak. (Twitter)
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Updated 14 March 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla collaborates with Centre Pompidou on new museum

Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla collaborates with Centre Pompidou on new museum

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has signed an agreement with the Paris-based Centre Pompidou to develop a contemporary art museum in AlUla, it was announced on Monday.

The new museum is set to focus on 21st century works by regional artists, extending to the South Asian and North African diasporas.

The agreement was signed by Arts AlUla executive director Nora Aldabal and Centre Pompidou president Laurent Le Bon in the presence of Prince Badr bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of RCU, and French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak.

Designed as an archipelago of pavilions interspersed with artists’ gardens, the museum will house a dynamic program of displays, exhibitions, commissions and gardens.

Nora Aldabal, Arts AlUla Executive Director, Royal Commission for AlUla said: “Our collaboration with Centre Pompidou is another important step in our goal of empowering a thriving community of local artists, and driving knowledge and skills within the sector as we create viable opportunities for economic advancement as part of our continued transformation into a Living Museum.”

“@RCU_SA has selected @CentrePompidou as key partner in developing a contemporary art museum at AlUla as a world centre for regional and global 21st century art. The museum will be an architectural landmark in its own right,” the RCU tweeted late Monday.

“A new milestone for #AlUla’s growing creative ecosystem. Global cross-cultural connections and collaboration sit at the heart of our creative strength, and through our partnership with @CentrePompidou we continue our transformation as a dynamic arts and cultural hub,” the RCU added.


Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband
Updated 23 September 2023
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Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

Princess Rajwa attends congress meetings with husband

DUBAI: Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein this week accompanied her husband, Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, on his trip to the US for his meeting with Congress members at Capitol Hill.

Fans had their eyes on Rajwa’s style and quickly took to Instagram to share her outfit details.

The Jordanian royal was dressed in a white funnel-neck pedernal blouse by Canadian British designer Edeline Lee and a black midi-skirt by Dior. She added a pop of color to her look by wearing hot-pink slingback Fendi heels and a matching Baguette phone pouch in patent leather.

The couple then flew back to Jordan.

The prince shared a picture of him, his wife and his younger brother Prince Hashem and wrote on Instagram: “Checking in on Hashem this morning.”

In the picture, Rajwa wore an off-white set, which she paired with a white undershirt. Her blazer was a Jacquemus’s “Le Papier” square jacket.

She topped off the look with a white Gucci GG Marmont leather bag.


Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan
Updated 23 September 2023
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Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

Gigi Hadid walks the Versace runway in Milan

DUBAI: US-Dutch-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid this week graced the Versace runway in a yellow dress during Milan Fashion Week.

The catwalk star wore a slinky gown with a cowl neckline and a thigh-high slit from the Italian luxury label’s spring/summer 2024 collection.

Hadid was joined by Dutch-Moroccan-Egyptian model Imaan Hammam. She wore a black form-fitting dress with a low back.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Versace (@versace)

Donatella Versace tapped the Barbie zeitgeist with a collection that managed to be both girlish and sophisticated.

In Versace’s Barbie world, gingham and checks were the stars, in mostly pastels, the perfect palette for straight mini-dresses, flouncy shorts and collarless skirt suits, featuring pretty details such as covered buttons and bow-shaped barrettes.

For Power Barbie, there were black-and-white check suits, leather combos and cocktail dresses, worn with an open-toe heel that pulled up into a leather sock.


Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla
Updated 23 September 2023
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Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Jorja Smith performs at Azimuth festival in AlUla

ALULA: A stellar lineup of stars performed on the second day of Saudi Arabia’s Azimuth festival in AlUla, including British singer and songwriter, Jorja Smith. 

Smith performed some of her hits, including “Be Honest” and “Go Go Go.” 

The music sensation was joined by stars form around the world who performed on the second and last night of the festival, which forms part of Saudi Arabia’s 93rd National Day celebrations.

The lineup included performances by Dope Lemon, Chet Faker, Saint Levant, Shkoon Live, Ame & Dixon, Tinariwen, Vinyl Mode, Dish Dash, Zone+, Kayan, Baloo, and more.

On Thursday, The Kooks, Thievery Corporation, Peggy Gou, Nooriyah, RY X and Cairokee performed for fans.

AlUla Moments’ collaboration with Spotify allowed fans to check out the lineup on the Azimuth AlUla Official Playlist.

The festival vibes were enhanced with Azilook stations for makeup, hair, nails and henna tattoos. There was also an opportunity to shop for attire from Creative Collection, accessories from Qurmoz and perfumes from SURGE.

In addition, several food vendors were available, including Gun Bun, SALT, Out of Line, Just Chill, Creamery, Baroque and Maui.


Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit

Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit
Updated 23 September 2023
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Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit

Review: ‘Wrestlers’ deserves to be Netflix’s latest breakout hit
  • Documentary on the Ohio wrestling scene is bursting with heart

LONDON: The mark of a great documentary is when audiences feel like they’ve learned something — when a hitherto unexplored world is examined and explained in a way that makes sense or interrogated and investigated in order to shed new light on things previously unseen. A truly phenomenal documentary, however, not only does all of the above, but it makes viewers actually care about the world they’re exploring.

Netflix’s “Wrestlers” is a remarkable piece of filmmaking. Director Greg Whiteley (“Last Chance U,” “Cheer”) and his team have created an emotional, intimate look inside the world of the Ohio Valley Wrestling league. Once the pathway to the big time (with alumni that include Brock Lesnar, The Miz, John Cena, Dave Bautista, Randy Orton and others), OVW is struggling to make ends meet. New investors Matt Jones and Craig Greenberg have rescued the franchise, for now, but find themselves in conflict with owner (and legendary wrestler) Al Snow, as their desire to increase revenue and marketability comes up against Snow’s uncompromising commitment to crafting storylines and matches of the utmost quality.

“Wrestlers” is directed by Greg Whiteley. (YouTube)

Whiteley takes us deep into the lives of Snow, the new owners, and the wrestlers — standouts include Cash Flo, Shera and Haley J, but there are so many fascinating characters at the heart of OVW that seven episodes don’t feel even close to enough. By showing us their lives, and just how much wrestling means to them, the day-to-day grind of keeping the league afloat feels uncompromisingly real. It’s genuinely heartbreaking to see the efforts of Snow and his roster of wrestlers draw in just a few extra attendees, and it’s jaw-droppingly uncomfortable to get a firsthand glimpse of the stresses Jones and Snow are under as they reach the culmination of OVW’s summer tour.

To reveal anything more would undermine the gravitas of the season finale, which deserves to be seen far and wide. “Wrestlers” is a remarkable show. Whether or not you care about wrestling at the start, you’ll care about the people behind OVW by the time the curtain drops on season one. Here’s hoping there’s more in store.


Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 
Updated 22 September 2023
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Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

Beyonce champions Georges Hobeika on tour for third time 

DUBAI: US pop superstar Beyonce championed Lebanese designer Georges Hobeika during her Renaissance World Tour stop in Dallas this week — the third time she has sported a Hobeika design during her current tour. 

The multi-award-winning singer selected a glitzy turquoise gown embellished with silver Swarovski crystals from the couturier’s Fall 2023 collection.

The first time Beyonce wore one of Hobeika’s designs was in June when she performed in Cologne, Germany. On that occasion, she wore a custom-made catsuit embellished with nude-illusion panels, pearls and silver sequins. The 41-year-old singer paired the ensemble with black velvet gloves, thick-heeled pumps and custom Tiffany & Co. jewelry.

In July, at her New Jersey show, Beyonce wore a fully embroidered dress — crafted from pink tulle — featuring shimmering crystals and completed the look with tulle gloves and a beaded headpiece made entirely of 3D embroidered flowers. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JAD HOBEIKA (@jadhobeika)

Hobeika is not the only Arab designer whose outfits Beyonce has selected for her tour. She also showed off a gown from Omani label Atelier Zuhra in Las Vegas and one from Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran in St. Louis, Missouri.