‘The Cello’ star Muhanad Al-Hamdi: ‘It feels like anything is possible’

‘The Cello’ star Muhanad Al-Hamdi: ‘It feels like anything is possible’
Muhunad Al-Hamdi (right) with his 'The Cello' co-star Jeremy Irons. (Supplied)
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Updated 21 September 2023
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‘The Cello’ star Muhanad Al-Hamdi: ‘It feels like anything is possible’

‘The Cello’ star Muhanad Al-Hamdi: ‘It feels like anything is possible’
  • The Saudi actor is on the verge of a global breakthrough with his role opposite Jeremy Irons in ‘The Cello’ 

DUBAI: Ambition can be a frustrating thing. For Saudi actor Muhanad Al-Hamdi, it was almost unbearable. He could clearly see, in his mind’s eye, an image of himself opposite Hollywood royalty, starring in the sorts of films the region has never made. At times, he was embarrassed to share his dreams with others. After all, how could a young boy from the Kingdom, a place where cinemas had, at the time, been banned for years, ever will himself into that world? 

Thankfully, the rules that once held back Saudi Arabia’s boundless creativity are gone for good. Just five years after the Kingdom announced its intentions to create an international-standard film industry, history is being made on an almost weekly basis, and Al-Hamdi, a one-time beloved MBC personality, finds himself a major part of those leaps ahead. This week alone will see the release of two of his groundbreaking projects years in the making: “The Cello,” the first international Arabic-language horror film, and “Hard Broken,” a crime-thriller series getting a global Netflix release.  

“I’m so proud to be Saudi, now more than ever before,” Al-Hamdi tells Arab News. “Saudi Arabia feels like a rocket ship at the moment, everything is moving so fast. And the real beauty of these changes is that they’re lifting every industry up, so we can thrive in any direction we choose. It truly feels like anything is possible.” 

Every artist has their own journey to success — and their own definition of what that means. While Al-Hamdi has loved acting for years, he admits that the craft itself was not his main motivation. In fact, it was stardom that Al-Hamdi yearned for — the kind of fame and glory that only marquee talents achieve. Then, one day at the beginning of August 2020, while on vacation in Beirut, Lebanon, Al-Hamdi was changed forever.  

“It’s still hard to talk about, but I was very nearby when the (Beirut Port) explosion happened. I almost died. I came so close to death that I could smell it. For the first time in my life, I was keenly aware of my own mortality,” Al-Hamdi says.   

“After the explosion, I quite literally changed into a different person. In an instant, I didn’t want the fame anymore. All those numbers that used to consume me now felt meaningless. What I needed, I realized, was to do good art for my legacy. I need to make something to be proud of — something that I’ll show my kids someday,” he continues.  

Even in a changing Gulf region, however, creating art is easier said than done. Up until that point, Al-Hamdi had found success by chasing opportunity wherever it lay, eager to climb the ladder even when the rungs seemed non-existent at times.  

He wanted to study acting, for example, but no acting schools existed in Saudi Arabia. Undaunted, he went to study in Kuwait, the Gulf country with the richest theatrical culture, and, after graduation, met an Emirati man who told him that true success was to be found in Dubai, and he would help him.  

“He told me he had a meeting with MBC in two days, and that I had to book my ticket and join him. I told him ‘Of course.’ But at the time I didn’t even have money for a ticket. My friends lent me the cash, and I booked the flight and arrived. I didn’t even have a sim card or a place to stay,” Al-Hamdi recounts.  

“I took a cab to Dubai Mall, and sat on the mall’s Wi-Fi for four or five hours just waiting for him to message. I started thinking that maybe he wasn’t serious, and I’d come for nothing. Then finally he responded, telling me he was in the Armani Café, and the next day we went to MBC,” he continues.  

From that moment, his path to fame fell into place quickly. MBC agreed to try him out on their radio stations as a presenter, and after two months behind the microphone, a passing TV executive caught sight of his striking good looks, found out he was Saudi, and immediately ushered him into his office.  

“He said, ‘What the heck are you doing on the radio?’ Within minutes I was sitting in a chair with the radio and TV managers both standing above me, asking me what I wanted to do. I said I’d cook in the kitchen or clean the floors if they asked me to, but I couldn’t decide this myself. A short time later, they came back and told me I had to be on TV,” says Al-Hamdi.  

In 2019, just as MBC was about to make him one of the lead presenters on the morning show, Al-Hamdi landed one of the main roles on “Cairo Class,” a major MBC series, and audiences welcomed the turn. Within two weeks, he went from 30,000 followers to 1 million, and left presenting behind.  

But after the Beirut bombing changed everything for Al-Hamdi, the path forward felt a little less sure. He was being offered role after role, and began turning them down one by one, a dangerous move for an emerging star. He dreamed of something international, a dream that was realized with “The Cello,” written by Turki AlSheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, and co-starring Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons and horror legend Tobin Bell (best known for his portrayal of Jigsaw in the “Saw” franchise). 

“I was genuinely shaking before my first scene with Jeremy. I never thought this moment would come,” says Al-Hamdi. “I told him I was his biggest fan and it’s true, but he told me that we are equals. On set, we are all actors working together to create something special. He told me not to think about proving to him or anyone else that I’m good. ‘You’ll be good if you believe in the character. Never perform for anyone else but yourself. And never forget that we’re doing something for love, first and foremost.’ I’ll never forget a word of what he told me.”  

Perhaps that was the moment Al-Hamdi decided what he needed to do once he left that set. He’s realized that he can no longer wait for the kind of stories that he wants to tell to come along so he can star in movies that he can tell his children about some day. If he wants to reach that point, he has to take fate into his own hands.  

“I have so many ideas, and I’m fully committed to bringing them to life. ‘Hard Broken’ is the first step on that journey, a series based on a story by my wife, herself a director. I’m now writing four different stories — one about a real Syrian man who died near me on that same day that I was spared in Beirut. I have so many stories to tell,” he says. “I’ve become hungry — starving — for real art.” 


Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Baz Luhrmann talk careers, inspiration at RSIFF

Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Baz Luhrmann talk careers, inspiration at RSIFF
Updated 07 December 2023
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Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Baz Luhrmann talk careers, inspiration at RSIFF

Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry and Baz Luhrmann talk careers, inspiration at RSIFF

JEDDAH: Academy Award-winner and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow cut a business chic look as she headlined three high-profile In Conversation panels that took place at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Wednesday night, with Australian director Baz Luhrmann and US actress Halle Berry taking part in panels on the same day. 

Taking part in a retrospective conversation moderated by Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) CEO Jomana Al-Rashed – who introduced Paltrow as a personal role model – the latter looked back on her career as a successful movie star as well as an entrepreneur, recently celebrating 15 years of her wellness company, Goop.   

“Entrepreneurship and acting are very similar. Both require the same kind of energy,” said Paltrow of her decision to launch Goop.  

Paltrow went into some detail about the first ever MCU film she shot, 2008’s “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey Jr. in his famous titular role. (Getty)

“I’m really happy I did it because I’ve learned so much through the process of growing this company and working with this team and all of the challenges, whether it be inventory management or Excel. I never thought in a million years I would have to learn how to read a P&L. It’s been so thrilling to build this business and still do what I love to do.”   

On the topic of films, Paltrow was asked by an audience member about how she felt about working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to which she said she stopped watching the films at some point, having also never watched “Avengers: Endgame,” in which she has a significant role.  

Paltrow did, however, go into some detail about the first ever MCU film she shot, 2008’s “Iron Man,” starring Robert Downey Jr. in his famous titular role.   

“The first film we did was very different from the rest because the studio didn’t think it was going to be a big hit,” she said. “They hired Jon Favreau to direct who was great. And they hired Robert Downey Jr., who was un-hireable at the time. His career was at a very low point. 

Paltrow with Mohammed Al-Turki and Jumana Al-Rashed. (Getty)

“And then I remember they called me one day and said, ‘Come do this thing with us.’ And I said, ‘I’m not going to be in a superhero movie.’ And then they said, ‘No, but it’s going to be like doing an indie film. We’re going to have fun and, you know, you don’t have to be in too much of the action part anyway.’”   

“And so I thought, ‘Oh, okay.’ And we had such a good time. We improvised almost every scene of that movie. We would write it in the morning in Jon’s trailer, and it was like doing an independent film. Then, the movie was such a huge hit that then we didn’t make them like that anymore. But it was fun. It was a fun ride,” she added.  

Paltrow, whose last onscreen role was Netflix’s “The Politician,” was also asked whether she saw herself returning to Hollywood.  

“I never say never. I’m really happy and busy doing what I’m doing. But again, I can never know what the future will hold,” she said.  

Here’s a look at what Luhrmann and Berry had to say at their respective In Conversation panels:  

Halle Berry talks Oscars and inspiration  

US actress Halle Berry took part in the panel. (Getty)

US actress Halle Berry, the first and only African-American actress to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, spoke about empowering herself as an actress, filmmaker and producer as she delved into topics like the creation of her production house, upcoming projects and possibly shooting parts of her next movie in Jeddah.   

Berry, revealed to huge applause, that inspiration struck her on her flight to Jeddah for a new story she wants to direct.  

“Finally on the plane coming here I saw a story, I saw what’s in my heart, and realised what I wanted to share,” said Berry, who recently launched production company HalleHolly with former WME partner Holly Jeter.   

Asked by moderator and Lebanese presenter Raya Abirached to elaborate, Berry said, “It’s a love story at its core, but it deals with the supernatural and time travel and the future. It’s taken me the last few years to figure this out.”   

Berry also spoke about her famous Oscar win in 2002 for her devastating role in Marc Forster’s “Monster’s Ball,” also starring Billy Bob Thornton.   

About her win and speech, Berry said, “I don’t remember any of it and here’s why. I didn’t expect to win. I don’t know if anybody ever expects to win. Back in those days, usually whoever won the Golden Globe, would win the Oscars. So, any hopes I had were dashed when I lost to Siccy Spacek for the Golden Globe.  

“And it was in that moment that I thought this was a good run. Look how far I got. I dared to take a chance and I took the role of ‘Monster’s Ball’ and all of my agents and everybody around me said this would be the end of my career.   

Halle Berry spoke about empowering herself as an actress, filmmaker and producer. (Getty)

“So, knowing all that, I didn’t write a speech. I just wanted to go and have fun and sort of bask in the moment of this achievement, being at the Academy Awards and being nominated. So, I was not prepared. So, when I went up there when they called my name, I absolutely went blank. And all I remember was Russell Crowe. Walking up there and seeing his face and hearing him say, ‘Breathe, mate.’ And I remember taking a big breath turning around and then it’s kind of a blur. And the next memory I really have is backstage, and realizing, ‘Oh! An Oscar!’ I think I saw it for the first time backstage.”  

Berry also talked about her upcoming collaboration with Angelina Jolie for the action-comedy film “Maude v Maude,” which the two actresses are co-producing.   

“I’m just thrilled to just work with another woman and craft a story from our sensibility, from our point of view. So many times, we’re characterised in movies, and the writers are usually men, so we’re portrayed from their perspective. And, so, there’s a female director, Angelina and I are there, and we can tell a story from our point of view.”  

She also said the Warner Bros. film is a big action movie that will shoot around the world: “And maybe we’ll come back here (to Jeddah). When I was looking around the old town today, I was thinking about what we can get in here.”   

Baz Luhrmann reflects on his biggest hits  

Australian auteur Baz Luhrmann, known for films like “Romeo + Juliet,” “Moulin Rouge,” “The Great Gatsby” and “Elvis,” sat down with Raya Abirached to look back on his 30-year-long career, reflecting on his biggest hits.  

Talking about his hit biographical film “Elvis,” starring Austin Butler in the lead role, Luhrmann went into some detail about losing hope on the film when COVID-19 hit. However, Butler never gave up, he said.  

“Austin carried a very precious secret with him that he didn’t tell me about until much later in the process, and that is that he had lost his mother at exactly the same age that Elvis did. And it affected him profoundly because she was the one who would go with him to auditions and you know helped him start out. His work ethic was like… Denzel Washington rang me out of the blue. I didn’t know Denzel at the time. He said, ‘Look, you’re about to meet Austin Butler.’ Austin was doing a play with Denzel on stage and he said he’s never seen a young actor work as hard as he was. ‘You’ll be all over him,’ said Denzel. And I was,” said Luhrmann.  

“And then the movie went away. I told everyone to go home from Australia. But Austin wouldn’t leave. He said, ‘I’m not leaving.’ We would see him walking up and down the beach and people would think he was mad because he’d be yelling his ‘Elvis’ lines into the ocean,” he added, laughing.  

Luhrmann, in an offhand comment, also said he’s considering retiring while talking about how he picks the projects he works on.  

“I’ve always got so many pieces in my mind and I’ll never make all of them. It’s just so much noise out there and not to criticize anyone but there’s just so much stuff out there. I would rather retire – which I am considering doing – and not put more noise out there. If I can’t put something that’s actually useful and can be worthy of someone’s incredibly precious two-and-a-half hours when you invite them into a darkened room with strangers to look at something that they can’t walk out and either be uplifted or moved or something… It’s got to be worthwhile to do it. That’s all they care about. And if I can believe I can do that, then I would do it,” he said.


Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez talks women in cinema at RSIFF 

Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez talks women in cinema at RSIFF 
Updated 07 December 2023
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Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez talks women in cinema at RSIFF 

Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez talks women in cinema at RSIFF 

JEDDAH: Hollywood star Michelle Rodriguez sat down at the Red Sea International Film Festival’s Talent Days forum on Wednesday to shed light on her career choices, as well as the role of women in cinema.  

Moderated by Saudi actor Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj at the Ritz-Carlton in Jeddah, the pair chatted candidly on the perceived divide between old Hollywood and television, with Rodriguez stating: “There is always a wall between old Hollywood and television where there are certain people you know in the industry wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole, and that has to do with the susceptibility.” 

The session was moderated by Saudi actor Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj at the Ritz-Carlton in Jeddah. (Getty)

Known for her roles in action movies, including the fan-loved “Fast & Furious” franchise, Rodriguez reminded the audience that “films are about discovery and teamwork as much as it is about vision and storytelling.” 

Rodriguez also discussed her criteria for selecting movies, highlighting her commitment to avoiding projects that contain nudity, negative portrayals of women, or drug dealers. 

“I can’t play any negative character that misrepresents a woman as it is forbidden and I need to give little girls something else to see. If the script has a drug dealer or something like this, I will say no,” she said. 

Rodriguez discussed her criteria for selecting movies, highlighting her commitment to avoiding projects that contain nudity, negative portrayals of women, or drug dealers. (Getty)

Reflecting on the representation of women in the film industry, Rodriguez noted the positive changes both on and off screen, saying: “The representation of women has changed... there are doors opening... it’s time for women to discover what that power is.” 

Speaking of Mohammed Al-Turki, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, Rodriguez commended his support for women in the industry.  

“He has got more women in his film festival than any other film festival worldwide. His support, his desire to give voice to women is unparalleled. Nobody else does that,” she said. 

The Red Sea International Film Festival runs until Dec. 9. 


Filmmaker Dur Jamjoom takes emotional personal story to RSIFF

Filmmaker Dur Jamjoom takes emotional personal story to RSIFF
Updated 07 December 2023
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Filmmaker Dur Jamjoom takes emotional personal story to RSIFF

Filmmaker Dur Jamjoom takes emotional personal story to RSIFF
  • ‘We have a new generation in Saudi Arabia that is coming in with great ideas and some stories that has never been heard before,’ Dur Jamjoom told Arab News
  • ‘Kum-Kum’ follows 17-year-old Duna, who witnesses the fatal drowning of a young girl called Salwa

DUBAI: Saudi filmmaker Dur Jamjoom is entering the film industry with a bang — her graduation film “Kum-Kum” is set to screen at the Red Sea International Film Festival, which runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9. 

At just 23, the director already has six short films under her belt, with the 15-minute long “Kum-Kum” joining the pack.

“I feel grateful and blessed that they chose my short film, and it’s just a graduation film,” Jamjoom told Arab News. “I’ve worked so hard on this film and when I heard the news that they’re showcasing it at Red Sea, I was extremely excited and my whole family were excited too.”

“Kum-Kum” is inspired by a true story that happened to Jamjoom in 2012. “It’s about my friend who passed away at the age of 12. I was 12-years-old and it was all new for me to understand the concept of death and life,” she said.

“Because I was a child, people used to call me a robot, because I showed no emotions. whenever I went to funerals, I never understood the idea of people crying because someone passed away,” she recalled.

The poster for short film 'Kum Kum.' (Supplied)

“When that time came and my friend passed away, it was all new for me. When I got into the funeral, I felt all these kinds of new emotions that started to (rise) up and I experienced new emotions that came into my mind and heart,” she said.

The short film follows 17-year-old Duna, who witnesses the fatal drowning of a young girl called Salwa. Duna is traumatized and struggles with residual feelings of hopelessness and an enduring fear of the water — until she realizes that she must go back to the beach to teach her younger sister how to swim.

“Kum-Kum” examines the philosophical aspects of life and death and “also talks about how someone’s passing can shape someone living,” Jamjoom said.

Jamjoom started working on the movie in 2022 when she took a screenwriting course at Effat University in Jeddah. “I wrote this script, but it was still a work in progress. I put it aside and I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to keep this script on the side forever. I want to work on it later on’,” she said. 

“When my graduation project came, I pulled that out from the drawer and said, ‘OK, I’m going to work on this script.”

Her love of filmmaking began at a young age, when her cousin introduced her to TikTok’s precursor, musical.ly.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JAMJOOM DUR (@dur_jamjoom)

“I was very introverted. I didn’t know how to express my emotions,” she said. “At the age of 11, my cousin showed me an app that is now TikTok where you record and add music. I was so fascinated, and I started using this app. Every Saturday, I’d gather up all my cousins and I’d start recording them and start making silly videos. It got really serious and we started to think about which song we should choose to match the mood of the song and started doing changing costumes and everything. I was filming and directing them,” she said.

At the end of every week, Jamjoom would present her work to her family.

Jamjoom now works at the Red Sea Film Foundation’s Red Sea Labs, which the filmmaker said “creates multiple programs for feature films, short films, TV series and music. It teaches the new upcoming filmmakers, and the ones who are experienced, how to develop their projects.

“We have a new generation in Saudi Arabia that is coming in with great ideas and some stories that has never been heard before,” she said.

“It’s like a baby growing right now. Saudi Arabia is developing so much, especially with all the new architecture, the new construction and Vision 2030. Everything is happening all at once and cinema is also a part of that development,” she said.


The Bicester Collection sees rise in Saudi shoppers, luxury outposts look to attract more

The Bicester Collection sees rise in Saudi shoppers, luxury outposts look to attract more
Updated 07 December 2023
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The Bicester Collection sees rise in Saudi shoppers, luxury outposts look to attract more

The Bicester Collection sees rise in Saudi shoppers, luxury outposts look to attract more

MADRID: A village from The Bicester Collection, a family of eleven luxury shopping destinations across Europe and China, is on most shoppers’ must visit lists when traveling — and it seems that discerning Saudi tourists are no different.     

Given tailor-made services for Arab consumers, including Arabic-speaking concierge services and halal options at Bicester Collection outposts in Milan and Madrid, it is not surprising that the European villages have witnessed a surge in shoppers from the GCC in recent years, according to internal data. Las Rozas Village, located just outside of Madrid, reported a 48 percent growth in visits from Saudi Arabia since 2019. Meanwhile, at Milan’s Fidenza Village, the Kingdom ranks 14th as a stand-alone country from where visitors hail.   

The Bicester Collection is a family of eleven luxury shopping destinations across Europe and China. (Supplied)

The 90-minute drive to Milan’s Fidenza Village is not for the faint of heart, but once you arrive you can expect both shopping and gastronomic heaven.  

Las Rozas, set at the foot of Madrid’s Sierra Norte mountains, is a little less daunting to reach, at only 30 minutes from the city center. There are multiple options to get there – bus, train, taxi, car and a chauffeur service that can be booked directly from the village’s website. Additionally, the villages have plenty of free parking should you choose to drive. 

Visitors can shop other categories like home and lifestyle, with offerings from Villeroy & Boch and Le Creuset’s cookware and bakeware. (Supplied)

At Las Rozas, guests can treat themselves to multiple high-end fashion brands, including Loewe and Etro. Visitors can also shop other categories like home and lifestyle, with offerings from Villeroy & Boch and Le Creuset’s cookware and bakeware.  However, in busy seasons like the summer, queues outside the boutiques can be extensive, so it’s best to explore the website to plan ahead regarding which stores you want to visit to save time.    

Each open-air village features a quaint setting and was designed to resemble various architectural styles. For instance, Fidenza village is reminiscent of an Italian Piazza, while Las Rozas’ design was inspired by the story of a Spanish prince alongside referencing iconic buildings worldwide. Each destination also boasts ‘The Apartment’ – an invitation-only private space for VIP clients. Here, guests can try on their purchases in privacy, and even opt for their personal shopping service. Furthermore, each apartment resembles a stylish private home with artwork, books, and luxury furnishings. At Fidenza, the space was imagined by designer David Thomas and features vintage chairs upholstered with Etro fabrics, Fornasetti wallpapers, intricate murals by a local artist, Armani Home linen curtains and Art Deco collectibles.    

It is located 30 minutes from Madrid’s city center. (Supplied)

Architecture and décor aside, the dining spots offer local cuisine alongside international flavors and quick bite options. In Las Rozas, at renowned chef Cristina Oria’s restaurant, foodies can enjoy various dishes, including roast beef toast, Spanish potato tortilla with eggplant and truffle, and prawns with red curry or sip on a coffee alfresco while admiring a view of the neighboring mountains. For the pasta lovers, Milan’s Fidenza doesn’t disappoint either: The village is located in the Parma province, a gastronomic haven, so expect to eat some incredible food. And cheese lovers can take back blocks of 24 months and 36 months aged parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar from Parma Menu. For something sweet, Venchi’s gelato and hot chocolate don’t disappoint.     

The concierge service in the villages are also helpful. From booking a chauffeur drive, taxi, wheelchair, and stroller to getting tourist information – this is the first place to contact for any information.

The Bicester Collection has also launched a virtual retail experience for the winter holiday season. (Supplied)

Fidenza allows guests to file their tax refunds via the Instant Tax-Free Kiosk. The Bicester Collection has also partnered with multiple Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, so shoppers can earn miles, which can be claimed via the concierge service. With Emirates Skywards, customers can earn one mile for every euro spent.  

The Bicester Collection has also launched a virtual retail experience for the winter holiday season. Designed to represent each of the villages’ physical environments, the new virtual experience brings together Bicester Village (UK), La Roca Village (Spain), La Vallée Village (France), and Fidenza Village (Italy). From the comfort of their own homes, guests can virtually walk around and explore each village alongside pre-booking services like hands-free shopping and virtual personal shopping appointments. The service will also help visitors prepare for an in-person visit in an immersive way.   


Arab female narratives in the spotlight at Hayaty Diaries’ debut exhibition in London

Arab female narratives in the spotlight at Hayaty Diaries’ debut exhibition in London
Updated 07 December 2023
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Arab female narratives in the spotlight at Hayaty Diaries’ debut exhibition in London

Arab female narratives in the spotlight at Hayaty Diaries’ debut exhibition in London
  • Exhibition curated by Lebanese and Egyptian-Saudi curators Christina Shoucair and Kinzy Diab
  • Collection, realized in a range of colors and techniques, explore various social issues

LONDON: Rhinestoned niqabs worn with cowboy boots, women gathered around a dining table, and anime-inspired depictions of Egyptian pop culture were just some of the scenes recently on display at a gallery space in London. 

The exhibition, which was called “Through Their Eyes: Perspectives Unveiled” and ran from Nov. 29 to Dec. 4 at Oxo Tower, showcased an eclectic collection of contemporary art by women from Lebanon, Egypt, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and the UAE. 

Lebanese and Egyptian-Saudi curators Christina Shoucair and Kinzy Diab. (Supplied)

Lebanese curator Christina Shoucair told Arab News: “Diversity took center stage in our selection process, not just in terms of artistic style, medium, and process, but also in the artists’ identities, representing a range of geographical, religious, and cultural backgrounds.”

Kinzy Diab, 24, co-curated the exhibition and told Arab News: “As Arab women we are often confined to fragments of our identity, defined solely by our gender, religion or perceived oppression.

“It is important to recognize the diversity of the Arab female experience. While there is a shared sense of relatability among Arab women, so much individuality often goes unrecognized.”

The exhibition was a labor of love with each artist creating works which delved into the profound question of where the true meaning of art resides. Is it inherent in the work itself? Discerned through the observer’s gaze? Reflected in the creator’s vision?

"Rhinestone Ngab" (2023) by Moroccan artist Sara Benabdallah. (Supplied)

While all the artists engaged with the broader theme of viewer perspective, their subjects were diverse and explored various societal issues. 

Shoucair, 24, said: “Some (artists) achieve ... by encouraging visitors to intimately examine their artworks, inviting close inspection to peel back the deeper layers of meaning.”

In “Titled: You,” by Bahraini artist Huda Jamal, three women were gathered around a table, their gazes fixed intently on the viewer, creating a role reversal in which the painting itself was staring at the observer. The nuanced expressions on the women’s faces invited viewers to delve into their unique psyches, encouraging contemplation of their unspoken thoughts and concealed messages.

"Fidelity" (2023) by Saudi artist Amira Nazer. (Supplied)

Saudi artist Amira Nazer exhibited a more conceptual approach by printing images of thobe and shumagh onto fabric, creating a multi-layered visual experience.

The photo sculptures “Fidelity” invited viewers to interpret the significance of traditional clothing amid rapid societal changes in Saudi Arabia.

Other artists employed symbolism and imagery that encouraged introspection on social and political realities.

"Crevice" (2023) by Palestinian-Jordanian artist Farah Foudeh. (Supplied)

In her photographic series “Crevice,” Jordanian-Palestinian artist Farah Foudeh drew parallels between the physicality of the male-dominated desert landscape and the female form, confronting the commodification and politicization of women’s bodies.

Emirati artist Aliyah Alawadhi’s “The East is a Career” highlighted the absurdity of notions that justified colonial intervention through combining distorted visuals from a 1940s film on Middle Eastern oil exploration and subtitles inspired by the language of Nabati poetry.

Diab said: “Art often holds a certain level of inherent meaning derived from the creator’s vision, but it gains depth through the diverse perspectives and experiences of the audience.

“Situated perspectives play a crucial role in shaping these evolving meanings as viewers engage with art through the lens of their personal experiences, socio-political background, and current geographic context.”

“Through Their Eyes” marked the launch of Shoucair and Diab’s art collective Hayaty Diaries.