Sharjah Museums Authority to exhibit replicas of artifacts that blind visitors can touch

Sharjah Museums Authority to exhibit replicas of artifacts that blind visitors can touch
‘Sacred Words, Timeless Calligraphy: Highlights of Exceptional Calligraphy from the Hamid Jafar Qur’an Collection’ on display at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization (Supplied)
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Updated 23 March 2023

Sharjah Museums Authority to exhibit replicas of artifacts that blind visitors can touch

Sharjah Museums Authority to exhibit replicas of artifacts that blind visitors can touch
  • The specialist ‘tactile tours’ will be led by guides with extensive experience of working with visually impaired people
  • The initiative is part of the authority’s efforts to offer more inclusive museum experiences for people with disabilities

DUBAI: The Sharjah Museums Authority is putting on display replicas of some artifacts from its collections so that visitors with visual impairments can touch them.

The specialist ‘tactile tours’ will begin next month, the Emirates News Agency reported. In addition to being able to get their hands on the models of objects as part of the interactive museum experience, visually impaired visitors will also be offered brochures in braille containing additional information about the exhibits.

One of treasures a replica of which has been made is a copy of the Qur’an attributed to Uthman ibn Affan from the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization’s Abu Bakr Gallery of Islamic Faith. It is written in Kufic script on parchment made from animal skins.

Other replicas at the same gallery include a 6-meter-long Kaaba curtain decorated with Qur’anic verses and Islamic patterns, and a Qur’an that is one of the most prominent works by calligraphist Ahmed Karahisari.

At Sharjah Archaeology Museum, the replicas include a 7,000-year-old necklace discovered in Al-Buhais 18 cemetery, and a rectangular, soft-stone box dating back to between 2500 and 2000 B.C.

The tactile tours will be led by guides with extensive experience of working with visually impaired people. More replicas are due to be added next year.

Manal Ataya, the authority’s director-general, said the initiative is in line with the organization’s efforts to support people with disabilities and inclusion.

“At SMA we aim to provide an accessible and more inclusive museum experience for people with all disabilities by offering them equal access to our museums, displays and programs,” Ataya said.

The authority has launched a number of initiatives for people with disabilities in recent years, including an “Autism-Friendly Museums” project in 2018 that was the first of its kind in the Gulf region, according to the Emirates News Agency.


Cultural Skills Competition winners honored by Saudi ministers

Cultural Skills Competition winners honored by Saudi ministers
Updated 29 May 2023

Cultural Skills Competition winners honored by Saudi ministers

Cultural Skills Competition winners honored by Saudi ministers
  • Education minister lauds Saudi leadership’s belief in building human capabilities
  • Competition was held with the aim of discovering creative students in various cultural fields

MAKKAH: Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud and Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan recently presented awards to the winners of the Cultural Skills Competition for school students.

The ceremony, that honored victors in the contest’s six categories, was held at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, on Sunday.

The national competition, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, was launched by the two ministries, and included male and female students from primary grades four, five, and six, and secondary and intermediary stages.

Congratulating winners in the heritage, theater, music, visual arts, literature, and film classes, Al-Benyan said that the competition’s cultural courses aimed to encourage creativity and enterprise among school students.

And he praised the renaissance and successes witnessed through Saudi Vision 2030, attributing them to the country’s leaders, “who believe in the importance of building human capabilities, and harnessing all capabilities and resources to prepare future generations.”

Speaking on behalf of Prince Badr, Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez said: “Thanks to the support of King Salman, and the empowerment by our inspiring role model Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we stand today to witness outputs that deserve celebration and appreciation, which are the fruit of joint national efforts aiming at discovering talents that will take our culture and creativity to promising horizons in the near future.”

During the awards ceremony, a video presentation showed the journey of the students during different stages of the competition, which attracted more than 247,000 participants.

The winners of the six categories each received SR100,000 ($27,000), while the second- and third-place winners got SR75,000 and SR50,000, respectively.

The competition was held with the aim of discovering creative students in various cultural fields, empowering them, and developing their skills.

Its six categories take in visual arts, such as plastic and digital arts, Arabic calligraphy, literature including manga and short stories, heritage taking in traditional and folk performing arts, music and singing, short films, and theater.


Saudi artist builds carpet-painting business one brush stroke at a time

Raghda Turkistani paints on door mats, wood and other materials, including Persian and Arabian carpets. (Instagram/raghda.craft)
Raghda Turkistani paints on door mats, wood and other materials, including Persian and Arabian carpets. (Instagram/raghda.craft)
Updated 29 May 2023

Saudi artist builds carpet-painting business one brush stroke at a time

Raghda Turkistani paints on door mats, wood and other materials, including Persian and Arabian carpets. (Instagram/raghda.craft)
  • Saudi artist Raghda Turkistani on building her carpet-painting business and social media presence in the ‘era of achieving dreams’

RIYADH: With a steady hand on her brush, Saudi artist Raghda Turkistani paints images and writes personalized messages in calligraphy on carpets.

“I wanted to pursue something that would be a reflection of my artistic nature, so I fell in love with the carpet industry and turned it into a business,” Turkistani told Arab News.  

Her meticulous painting on luxurious Persian and Arabian carpets using bright colors has resulted in myriad unique masterpieces.

Raghda Turkistani paints on door mats, wood and other materials, including Persian and Arabian carpets. (Instagram/raghda.craft)

A mother of three, who majored in psychology, Turkistani also encouraged her children to pursue art because she believes that having a creative skill is crucial for mental wellness.

“Having a creative hobby is important for mental health because it generates energy. It makes me feel like my passion is being renewed,” she said.

“My kids have their own section in my office where they can draw and enjoy coloring.”  

HIGHLIGHTS

• Artist Raghda Turkistani paints images and writes personalized messages in calligraphy on carpets.

• She hosts online and face-to-face sessions to teach people how to start their own art businesses and operate the equipment used to print on carpets and doormats. 

Turkistani began her creative journey by printing on door mats, wood and other materials, but her work on carpets gained the most recognition as many businesses requested customized designs from her.

Turkistani, a social media manager by profession, initially chose the field to promote her art. She used the skills she gained from her profession to create her TikTok and Instagram content.

Raghda Turkistani paints on door mats, wood and other materials, including Persian and Arabian carpets. (Instagram/raghda.craft)

Her husband, she says, was her “first supporter” when she entered the world of social media. She wanted her content to be about her clients’ orders, showing them a behind-the-scenes look into the creation of their products.

Turkistani struggled to juggle her business, her paying job, and her young kids, but she found support in her husband as she built her business.

She said that “it was a sweet feeling” when she received her first order and saw her follower count grow on TikTok live.

Raghda Turkistani, Saudi artist

“Every time I feel that I have lost hope or I feel that I am not succeeding, I remember this moment and I remember how I felt at the time,” she said.

Her most unusual request was from a man who asked her to write “Move, you sleepy head!” on a doormat, she shared, laughing.

Turkistani also helps others start their own businesses by teaching them how to operate the equipment used to print on carpets and doormats.

Having a creative hobby is important for mental health because it generates energy. It makes me feel like my passion is being renewed.

Raghda Turkistani, Saudi artist

Most of her students are mothers like herself or young women who want to embark on their own projects. Her courses include online and face-to-face sessions, depending on the participant’s requests. Students can learn about the equipment and its software, how to print on acrylic and wood, how thermal printing works and much more.

The young artist’s sound advice for people looking to achieve their own artistic visions is to not allow their circumstances to dictate their paths.

“If you have a passion,…pursue your dream. We are now in the era of achieving dreams,” she said, explaining that it has become easier than ever before to start one’s own business.

“Nothing, including age or family, can stop people from starting their own business if they are determined to do so. Everyone should experience the feeling of creating their own project or business,” Turkistani said.

 

 


Japanese singer Halca serenades Jeddah fans

Halca performed at Anime Village zone in Jeddah’s City Walk. (Supplied)
Halca performed at Anime Village zone in Jeddah’s City Walk. (Supplied)
Updated 28 May 2023

Japanese singer Halca serenades Jeddah fans

Halca performed at Anime Village zone in Jeddah’s City Walk. (Supplied)
  • “Everyone was very sweet and welcoming, and the ones who recognized me approached me by calling my name and showed me that they are listening to my songs at that moment and said ‘We’re looking forward to your concert!’” Halca told Arab News

JEDDAH: Japanese singer Halca enthralled audiences on Thursday with some of her most popular tracks at the Anime Village zone in Jeddah’s City Walk.

Singing a variety of her songs, including the famous track “Kimiga Ita Shirushi” of the anime “Boruto: Naruto Next Generation,” Halca made her debut in Jeddah donning a checkered long-sleeved outfit with fun accessories and colorful nail polish. She styled her hair into two messy buns decorated with playful hairpins.

Speaking about her second visit to the Kingdom, the singer told Arab News that she was very excited to come back to Saudi Arabia, especially after she started “receiving messages from fans on Instagram and Twitter saying that they are looking forward to meeting me and attending my concerts again.”

An audience reaction during Halca's performance at the Anime Village zone at the City Walk in Jeddah. (Supplied)

Halca’s first visit to the Kingdom was during the previous Riyadh Season, where she performed in front of her Saudi fans for the first time. While the singer’s experience in Riyadh with her fans was “friendly and sweet,” she was initially skeptical about the reception in Jeddah.

“I thought Jeddah citizens might be either very rough…or very polite and shy and (wouldn’t) talk to me. But they appeared to be very friendly, even more than the people I met in Riyadh,” she said.

Halca was overjoyed to see the diversity of her fans, from cosplayers and children to teenagers and adults. “I particularly loved that people were holding their phones up to record videos of my performance,” she said. “And the many hearts I received from the audience too.”

I want to take these beautiful feelings and memories to Japan and tell everyone there how great the Kingdom and its people are, hoping that it might strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Halca, Japanese singer

Once Halca landed in Jeddah and checked in at her hotel on Wednesday, she took a trip to the Red Sea Mall, which she said she was looking forward to visiting again. She was also surprised by her fan’s reactions when they saw her shopping at the mall and touring City Walk.  

“Everyone was very sweet and welcoming, and the ones who recognized me approached me by calling my name and showed me that they are listening to my songs at that moment and said ‘We’re looking forward to your concert!’” Halca told Arab News.

She shared that she wanted to visit the beaches in Jeddah and enter a mosque for the first time.

“Also, last time I was in Saudi Arabia, I wanted to buy perfume to remind me of Saudi Arabia, but I didn’t find something that would suit me. So, this time, I asked my fans on social media and they suggested a lot of perfumes, and I bought five to remind me of the smell and aroma of Saudi Arabia,” she said.

After her pleasant experiences in the Kingdom, Halca revealed that she hopes to visit and perform both in Riyadh and Jeddah frequently.

“I’m very overjoyed by everything that has happened here,” said the singer. “I hold onto the memory of every fan who greeted me, anyone who talked to me, sent me a message. I also want to take these beautiful feelings and memories to Japan and tell everyone there how great the Kingdom and its people are, hoping that it might strengthen the relationship between the two countries.”

 


Review: Jeddah-based ATHR gallery’s debut at AlUla Gallery, “Blur of The Wells”

Photo/Supplied
Photo/Supplied
Updated 29 May 2023

Review: Jeddah-based ATHR gallery’s debut at AlUla Gallery, “Blur of The Wells”

Photo/Supplied
  • The exhibition draws inspiration from water wells, which, if they aren’t constantly maintained and dug deeper, will inevitably undergo cycles of drought and decline — much like our own lives

Visitors to AlUla — the world’s largest ‘living museum’ — have a few more weeks to enjoy Jeddah-based ATHR gallery’s debut at AlUla Gallery, “Blur of The Wells.”

Curated by Nour Gary, the exhibition, which ends mid-June, is a group show featuring some of the most prominent artists in the Saudi contemporary scene.

Gary told Arab News: “‘Blur of the Wells’ conveys how wells were the epicenter of any growing society — especially in this region — but wells need constant maintenance against the elements, as well as regular digging to keep the groundwater accessible.”

The show allows visitors to witness a metamorphosis of sorts — after deterioration and abandonment, a rebirth — all while mirroring the idea that wells are filled with knowledge and information.

The exhibition draws inspiration from water wells, which, if they aren’t constantly maintained and dug deeper, will inevitably undergo cycles of drought and decline — much like our own lives. It also celebrates, and encourages spectators to engage with, the land, drawing inspiration from the area’s natural heritage.

According to the gallery, the goal of the exhibit is also to invite artists back to AlUla after completing local projects or residencies, as well as to introduce established artists in the Saudi scene to AlUla.

Amid AlUla’s ancient rock formations and beneath the sweltering sun, this gallery space is a way for visitors to go deep within, literally, while reflecting on important works by a collection of seasoned artists, including AlUla-veteran Ahmed Mater, who recently showcased his exhibit “Ashab Al-Lal” at the AlUla Arts Festival.

It also features a selection of works by the Palimpsest Of Time residency grantees Mohammed Al-Faraj and Daniah Al-Saleh. Other participating artists are Sara Abdu, Zahrah Alghamdi and Dana Awartani.

ATHR AlUla is the gallery’s third branch. It first opened in Jeddah in 2009, and the other is at JAX in Riyadh.

 

 


Japanese calligrapher teaches her art one stroke at a time

Japanese calligrapher teaches her art one stroke at a time
Updated 27 May 2023

Japanese calligrapher teaches her art one stroke at a time

Japanese calligrapher teaches her art one stroke at a time
  • She told Arab News: “Seeing how Saudis love anime and manga, I wanted to show them that we have more art forms to offer, such as calligraphy”
  • Fans of Japanese culture get the chance to learn traditional art forms at City Walk

JEDDAH: Japanese calligrapher Yoshimi Fujii is conducting workshops at the Anime Village in City Walk Jeddah, offering participants the chance to learn more about different Japanese art forms.

Fujii, who has achieved the highest level in the Japanese form of calligraphy known as suihou, is based in Dubai and is making her second trip to the Kingdom.

“I’m thrilled to receive an invitation to come here (Saudi Arabia) and teach people of Jeddah the Japanese calligraphy and art of manga (Japanese comic),” she said.

Japanese calligraphy artist Yoshimi Fujii, who has achieved the highest level in the Japanese form of calligraphy known as suihou, is hosting workshops at City Walk. (Instagram/animevillage_sa)

Fujii conducted similar calligraphy workshops and a live show during the Riyadh Season on her first trip.

With a warm smile on her face, she explained to participants how to write in Japanese using traditional calligraphy brushes and special Japanese ink.

“Each line is made with one stroke only,” she said, adding: “Don’t redo it or try to fill the gaps.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Yoshimi Fujii, a Japanese calligrapher, is conducting workshops at the Anime Village in City Walk.

• Fujii’s calligraphy workshop is conducted three times a day to allow a large number of visitors to take part.

• This week, Fujii will conduct another workshop about traditional Japanese origami, the art of making different shapes out of paper.

She told Arab News: “Seeing how Saudis love anime and manga, I wanted to show them that we have more art forms to offer, such as calligraphy.”

Fujii said she is enjoying the reactions of the participants, even when they get confused about which direction to start writing in Japanese, which is from top to bottom, unlike Arabic, which is written from right to left.

The workshop is conducted three times a day to allow a large number of visitors to take part.

Japanese calligraphy artist Yoshimi Fujii, who has achieved the highest level in the Japanese form of calligraphy known as suihou, is hosting workshops at City Walk. (Instagram/animevillage_sa)

Rana Alnemari, 21, said that she loved Japanese culture and wanted to learn to write her name in Japanese characters.

“The new characters of the Japanese alphabet really caught my interest and I really had fun learning something new today,” she said. “I might even take professional courses for Japanese calligraphy in the future.”

Wejdan Alomari, 22, said that she joined the calligraphy workshop because she was intrigued by the Japanese writing style.

Seeing how Saudis love anime and manga, I wanted to show them that we have more art forms to offer, such as calligraphy.

Yoshimi Fujii, Japanese calligrapher

“It feels more like a drawing than simple writing,” she said.

Rana Alsaimi, 22, told Arab News that these types of workshops give her an opportunity to try new things like “using traditional Japanese brush to write instead of a calligraphy pen.”

Next week, Fujii will conduct another workshop about traditional Japanese origami, the art of making different shapes out of paper.

A Pokemon origami workshop will be held at City Walk in Jeddah. (Supplied)

Participants will learn how to make Pokemon shapes using origami techniques.