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

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Updated 29 May 2023
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Review: Jeddah-based ATHR gallery’s debut at AlUla Gallery, “Blur of The Wells”

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  • 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.

 

 


Georgina Rodriguez wears green abaya for Saudi National Day

Georgina Rodriguez wears green abaya for Saudi National Day
Updated 57 min 38 sec ago
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Georgina Rodriguez wears green abaya for Saudi National Day

Georgina Rodriguez wears green abaya for Saudi National Day

DUBAI: Georgina Rodriguez, the Argentine model and long-term partner of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, was spotted this week shopping at the Saudi fragrance brand Laverne in Riyadh wearing a green abaya just in time for Saudi National Day.

The “I am Georgina” star also held the Kingdom’s flag in honor of the country’s 93rd national day.

Georgina Rodriguez was spotted shopping at Laverne. (Twitter)

Rodriguez has previously collaborated with the Saudi perfume label on a campaign in March that promoted the scent, Blue Laverne. In the clip, she answered candid questions about her time in the Kingdom.

Riyadh-based Rodriguez said: “I feel very safe in this country and really appreciate its family values.

“I felt very happy to be able to connect with this heaven on Earth. The power and magic that is in the Saudi desert is incredible,” she said when asked her thoughts on visiting the country’s desert region earlier this year.


Music stars have fans rocking at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Music stars have fans rocking at Azimuth festival in AlUla
Updated 22 September 2023
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Music stars have fans rocking at Azimuth festival in AlUla

Music stars have fans rocking at Azimuth festival in AlUla
  • Third edition of the event part of Saudi Arabia’s 93rd National Day celebrations which falls on Saturday

ALULA: The third edition of Saudi Arabia’s Azimuth festival in AlUla began with a bang on Thursday with performances by several top international musicians.

Australian singer and songwriter RY X was the opening act for the festival which forms part of Saudi Arabia’s 93rd National Day celebrations.

“I have never been to this place in my whole life. I would love to come back and spend more time. It is truly an incredible place,” said RY X of AlUla on stage.

US electronic music duo Thievery Corporation, famous for their song “Lebanese Blonde,” were up next, and performed several of their hits.

Fans then welcomed legendary UK rock band The Kooks, comprising Luke Pritchard, Hugh Harris and Alexis Nunez. “We are so happy to be here … Probably the most beautiful place we’ve ever played,” said Pritchard, the band’s lead singer.  

Egyptian band Cairokee also made their presence felt by belting out some fan favorites including songs “Nefsi Ahebek,” “Samurai,” and “El-Seka Shemal Fe Shemal.”

South Korean DJ and record producer Peggy Gou, and DJ Nooriyah — who was born in Bahrain, raised in Saudi, and now based in the UK — ended the eventful night with their upbeat mixes.

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, or perfumes from SURGE.

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


Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 
Updated 21 September 2023
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Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

LONDON: Norway’s Masahat Festival celebrates Arab culture across multiple genres and provides a platform for examining complex issues around history and identity.   

Attendees can listen to the mesmerizing vocals of Iraqi Egyptian Nadin Al-Khalidi, front singer of Tarraband, and participate in thought provoking seminars on topics such as “Pasts That Persist: Perspectives from Iraq and Palestine” and how to reclaim and take ownership of your own history after being written out of it for generations. Egyptian historian, Khaled Fahmy, Edward Keller Professor of North Africa and the Middle East at Tufts University, will speak on the latter subject.

Arab News spoke to Masahat’s Artistic Director Rana Issa to learn more about the aims and impact of the annual festival which she co-founded in 2015.   

Issa arrived in Norway from Lebanon in 2006. She had just completed her masters and proceeded to do her PhD at the University of Oslo. Today, she moves between Norway and Lebanon where she is an Assistant Professor of Translation Studies at the American University of Beirut. 

While her children are immersed in both Norwegian and Arab culture, for her, the experience of adapting to life in Norway has been more challenging.  

‘Once you leave your country you never really feel good again in a way because you become an exile. That never really leaves you. My parents are in Lebanon – my brother is in Dubai, my sister is in New York. That has a lot to do with how I perceive my life here.  

‘If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have decided to leave Lebanon in that way. There’s something about leaving your homeland in haste that is quite traumatic. 

‘When I first came, I felt very lonely and this kind of loneliness I wouldn’t wish   even on my enemies,’ she said. 

In her work with Masahat, she is driven by a desire to help other minorities – not just Arab – to find their feet in their new homeland and to educate her fellow Norwegian citizens about Arab people.  

‘There’s a lot of misconceptions. They don’t, for example, understand that people can be Christian and living in the Middle East, and what they understand by Islam is so simplified and reductive,’ she said.  

Masahat is funded by the municipality of Oslo. “They pay our salaries and we get funding from other public bodies in Norway and have allies across cultural institutions and think tanks,” Issa explained.  

For those attending the festival, which runs from Sept. 21-24, the draw, says Issa, is the outstanding talent. 

‘The thing I love about Arab culture is how sophisticated it is. The reason why Masahat has been so successful in Norway is because the quality of our artists is really special,’ she said.  


Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s fashion and lifestyle conference Hia Hub is set to return for its third edition taking place from Nov. 3-7 in Riyadh’s JAX District.  

Hia Hub will host discussions, masterclasses, workshops, interactive exhibitions and live performances. 

Last year’s edition featured a lineup of 13 talks and panels along with three masterclasses led by leaders in fashion and beauty such as image architect Law Roach, celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips, supermodel and actress Amber Valetta, fashion designer Zac Posen and entrepreneur and digital influencer Karen Wazen.  

For the third edition, Hia Hub is joining forces with the Saudi Fashion Commission’s annual event Fashion Futures to expand the conference’s program.  

“It’s bigger and bolder this year, bringing together some of the regional and global fashion industry’s most accomplished business leaders, designers, celebrities, and icons, alongside leading fashion houses and brands,” said Mike Fairburn, managing director of SRMGx, the creators and organizers of Hia Hub and the experiential arm of SRMG.  

“It is a truly unique 5-day event – a dynamic programme of seminars, talks, workshops, masterclasses, and live performances – that blends the latest trends and perspectives in fashion, art, design, music and contemporary culture,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, said: “With the return of Fashion Futures, we are taking another step towards driving the development of Saudi’s fast-emerging fashion industry, unlocking opportunities and supporting our most promising creative talents. We look forward to welcoming some of the best and brightest minds to join us at Hia Hub this November.” 


Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic
Updated 21 September 2023
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Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

CHICAGO: This epic work from award-winning Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa, translated into English by Leri Price, spans several decades — from the late 19th century to the 1950s — and explores both friendship and tragedy. 

In 1907, a flood wipes out the village of Hosh Hanna near Aleppo, Syria. The lives of those who survive forever change, especially those of close friends Hanna Gregoros (a Christian) and Zakariya Bayazid (a Muslim whose family took Hanna in as a boy when he fled a massacre). Both young men — until this moment — have lived as if they were invincible. They are now forced to spend the rest of their lives reflecting on a past that has been swept away in one morning.  

Khaled Khalifa is a Syrian novelist. (Supplied)

We are introduced to Hanna and Zakariya at their lowest point: the flood has destroyed their homes, taken their families, and everything of their past, including the generation-long ties they have always relied on. Once wealthy — with land, horses, and a close-knit community of family and friends — Hanna and Zakariya took for granted an Aleppo that was religiously tolerant and thriving. United in their love for each other and their homes, the residents of Hosh Hanna had always helped one another. But the familiar routes are no longer familiar, and life dwindles for the two survivors.  

The narrative shifts timelines regularly, giving us a clear portrait of Hanna and Zakariya’s carefree past and a present beset by challenges, which they attempt to navigate while surviving on memories. They recollect joyous moments, but also lament the times when they were only interested in themselves and their own desires, ignoring all the good things that were in front of them. The flood opens their eyes to their shortcomings, their losses, and to the love they never fully appreciated before it was too late. The lives of Khalifa’s characters are riddled with loss and coping mechanisms.  

The novel delves into the complex layers of Aleppo’s history through stories that are born of revenge, friendship, oppression, love and loyalty. The pair’s relationship, and their adoration for their land, their neighbors and their villages cannot be erased by a flood, by war or by extremism. A similar love for his country comes through in Khalifa’s writing.