Pakistani artist’s vivid, surrealist portrayals of Arab, South Asian cultures

Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Kingdom, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)
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Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Kingdom, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)
Pakistani artist’s vivid, surrealist portrayals of Arab, South Asian cultures
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Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)
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Updated 30 July 2024
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Pakistani artist’s vivid, surrealist portrayals of Arab, South Asian cultures

Pakistani artist’s vivid, surrealist portrayals of Arab, South Asian cultures
  • Zainab Anwar’s work shaped by living in Saudi Arabia and Canada
  • Art focuses on the challenges women and girls face in society

RIYADH: Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s compelling work is marked by vibrant colors and surrealist portrayals of South Asian and Arab cultures, with a focus on tackling challenges facing women and girls in society.

Anwar, 24, was born in Pakistan and moved to Saudi Arabia when she was 8 years old. She spent her formative years in the capital, attending Manarat Riyadh International School. She left the Kingdom at 18 to attend university in Canada and has since returned.




Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)

“I grew up here with people from different cultures. However, I often did not see families from different cultures interact with each other. In school, South Asians and Arabs interacted with each other but I did not see any media representation of this.

“I felt that our societies outside of school were completely separated. This led me to create cross-cultural work. To represent the experiences of South Asians in the Middle East.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Zainab Anwar, 24, was born in Pakistan and moved to Saudi Arabia when she was 8 years old.

• She spent her formative years in the capital, attending Manarat Riyadh International School.

• Bright and colorful backdrops inspired by Pakistani truck art are Anwar’s artistic signature.

Anwar began her artistic journey by portraying Pakistani women in various settings.

“I later began drawing darker-skinned and hairy women because I felt these were characteristics that brown women were shamed for. I saw girls in school bully each other over such beauty standards, Arab and South Asian girls alike.”




Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)

Art has been an outlet for her during times of dealing with mental health issues.

“Later on, I began using surrealist art to depict the difficult feelings and experiences I had with my depression and anxiety. Growing up with a mental health stigma, it took me many years to understand these emotions. And creating art on it has helped me cope with such feelings.”




Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)

She added: “I believe that art can help bring light to difficult matters and also bring a sense of peace to people that suffer from such social issues and mental illness.

“I  found that society has difficulty dealing with experiences all women and girls face, like sexual harassment and unrealistic beauty standards.”




Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)

Bright and colorful backdrops are Anwar’s artistic signature. “The main source of inspiration for the colors I use in paintings is Pakistani culture,” she said.

“A form of art used by truck drivers in Pakistan is called truck art. Truck drivers adorn their trucks with bright, contrasting colors to draw attention to them. I was drawn to these trucks from a young age and I believe this has led me to use bright colors in my work.”




Riyadh-based Pakistani artist Zainab Anwar’s work is shaped by living in Saudi Arabia, with some works focusing on the challenges women and girls face in society. (Supplied/Adam Studio)

Anwar’s portfolio showcases an experimental use of different mediums including ink, pencil, photography, and traditional artforms such as embroidery. Her current preference is the use of acrylic paints for her work.

Although she portrays aspects of South Asian and Arab culture, Anwar says that women tend to relate to her art no matter where they are from. “They can understand the many universal experiences of being a woman that I depict in my work. People are also appreciative of cross-cultural work and see it as a reflection of the society we are in.”

Anwar says she attempts to capture the full gamut of human experience in her work, including joy and sorrow which are “important to society, for both the artist and the viewer.”

 


Saudi crown prince congratulates Algerian president on re-election

Updated 3 sec ago
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Saudi crown prince congratulates Algerian president on re-election

Saudi crown prince congratulates Algerian president on re-election

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated Algeria’s incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on his re-election during a phone call on Wednesday.

The crown prince wished Tebbounne success and the president thanked Prince Mohammed for his kind wishes. 

Algeria’s electoral authority ANIE announced on Sunday that Tebboune had been re-elected with almost 95 percent of the vote.

More than 5.3 million people voted for Tebboune, accounting for “94.65 percent of the vote,” ANIE head Mohamed Charfi said. 

 


Saudi leaders offer condolences after passing of Kuwait’s Sheikh Bader Nasser Al-Hamoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (File/SPA)
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (File/SPA)
Updated 11 September 2024
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Saudi leaders offer condolences after passing of Kuwait’s Sheikh Bader Nasser Al-Hamoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (File/SPA)
  • Sheikh Bader died aged 70 and funeral prayers were held for him on Wednesday afternoon

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince offered their condolences to the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Tuesday after the passing of Sheikh Bader Nasser Al-Hamoud Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

In separate cables of condolences, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prayed that God have mercy on the deceased. 

Prince Mohammed also sent a cable of condolences to his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.

Sheikh Bader died aged 70 and funeral prayers were held for him on Wednesday afternoon. 


Saudi Arabia pushes for environmental cooperation

Saudi Arabia pushes for environmental cooperation
Updated 11 September 2024
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Saudi Arabia pushes for environmental cooperation

Saudi Arabia pushes for environmental cooperation
  • Minister Mansour Al-Mushaiti urged GCC countries to ratify the Middle East Green Initiative charter and set national targets for tree planting and land rehabilitation
  • Al-Mushaiti said that GCC meetings had advanced environmental efforts and sustainable development in the region

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has emphasized the need for regional and international cooperation to tackle environmental challenges, particularly in rehabilitating degraded lands and boosting resilience to drought.

Deputy Minister of Environment Mansour Al-Mushaiti highlighted these points at the 26th GCC meeting on environmental affairs in Qatar, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Mushaiti urged GCC countries to ratify the Middle East Green Initiative charter and set national targets for tree planting and land rehabilitation.

He also called for increased support from GCC national development funds for vegetation projects.

Al-Mushaiti said that GCC meetings had advanced environmental efforts and sustainable development in the region.

He stressed the importance of addressing environmental protection, climate change, and balancing development with resource preservation.

Al-Mushaiti expressed the hope that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 in December would significantly impact global efforts to combat land degradation and drought.

He called for active participation from all GCC countries, international and regional organizations, the private sector, and civil society.


Saudi crown prince receives China’s PM

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang in the Kingdom on Wednesday. (SPA)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang in the Kingdom on Wednesday. (SPA)
Updated 11 September 2024
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Saudi crown prince receives China’s PM

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang in the Kingdom on Wednesday. (SPA)
  • Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Chinese PM Li Qiang chaired a meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Committee on Wednesday

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang in the Kingdom on Wednesday.

A welcoming ceremony was held in the premier’s honor and the two leaders held an official session of talks shortly afterwards.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang hold talks on Wednesday. (SPA)

Later, the two leaders chaired a meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Committee. Aspects of joint cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China were reviewed, especially areas of political and security coordination. Opportunities in the fields of trade, energy, investment, culture, and technology were also discussed.

The crown prince and Li also discussed developments in the region and the latest international developments. 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Chinese PM Li Qiang chair a meeting of the High-Level Saudi-Chinese Committee on Wednesday. (SPA)

Li left Riyadh on Wednesday evening and is due to visit the UAE this week.


Riyadh forum to discuss best practices in corporate social responsibility

Riyadh forum to discuss best practices in corporate social responsibility
Updated 11 September 2024
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Riyadh forum to discuss best practices in corporate social responsibility

Riyadh forum to discuss best practices in corporate social responsibility
  • Experts from around world to share strategies for sustainable business models, community empowerment 

JEDDAH: Riyadh will host the Global CSR Forum on Oct. 28-29, promoting social responsibility and sustainability worldwide.

The forum aims to share global experiences, encourage discussions, and identify solutions to enhance innovation and competitiveness in the social responsibility sector.

The two-day event will feature more than 100 speakers and experts from across the world. It seeks to deepen understanding of corporate social responsibility and empower sectors to excel locally and internationally.

Mubarak Al-Bogami, director general of the social responsibility department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said: “The forum is poised to deliver a powerful impact both locally and globally.”

He said: “On the home front, it promises to enhance corporate social responsibility efforts, while on the global stage, it will serve as a vibrant hub for showcasing and sharing best practices in CSR.”

Al-Boqami added: “The core message is clear: The Global CSR Forum is a catalyst for change. It is a space where companies from around the world can connect, share insights, and collaborate to advance social responsibility on a global scale. This collaborative approach not only benefits the environment and communities but also empowers businesses to thrive and achieve their goals.”

Mubarak Al-Bogami, director general of the social responsibility department at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

The forum’s diverse program will highlight key CSR themes, including the public sector’s role in supporting CSR initiatives, responsible business models, capacity building, and using technology to enhance social and environmental impact. It will also cover principles, standards, best practices for CSR compliance, and share experiences from various sectors.

Al-Boqami said that the forum would contribute to the knowledge economy in social responsibility by sharing the latest advancements and improving best practices.

“It aims to embed a culture of social responsibility across global sectors, share successful experiences, build strategic partnerships, and support individuals in developing specific social responsibility skills.”

He added that the forum would facilitate the exchange of global best practices for Saudi companies.

“Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in global indicators, securing leading positions in many areas. The 2024 Competitiveness Report from the IMD World Competitiveness Center highlights this progress, particularly in social responsibility, where the Kingdom now ranks 16th globally,” Al-Boqami said.

Saudi Arabia has launched several initiatives to promote social responsibility, including designating March 23 as Social Responsibility Day, which has gained international recognition for its impact on global efforts.

Al-Boqami said that the forum presented a valuable opportunity to align these efforts by fostering communication and sharing successes and best practices.

He added that with participation from experts across all sectors, the forum would support precise knowledge transfer and the refinement of experiences.