Saudi arts and culture association hosts captivating ‘Ready for Display’ show

Saudi arts and culture association hosts captivating ‘Ready for Display’ show
Visitors can appreciate how elements from the land and sea bring life to the displayed artworks’ color palettes and artistic designs. (Supplied)
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Updated 07 November 2024
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Saudi arts and culture association hosts captivating ‘Ready for Display’ show

Saudi arts and culture association hosts captivating ‘Ready for Display’ show
  • Exhibition showcases impressive collection of works from 47 artists, reflecting rich diversity of styles and artistic approaches 

DAMMAM: The Saudi Arabian Society for Arts and Culture in Dammam began cultural programs with the seventh “Ready for Display” exhibition, showcasing works from 47 artists, including participants from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, the Philippines, India and Pakistan. 

The exhibition aims to highlight a range of artistic styles, techniques and approaches while reflecting the beauty and essence of the local environment.

Running from Nov. 1 to Nov. 10, the show provides an important platform for local and resident artists. 

Each artist brings their individual approach to the canvas, with some embracing abstraction while others focus on realistic representations. 

Their works captured a variety of subjects, including people, places, animals and shapes, highlighting the rich diversity of artistic expression and individual creativity. 

Artists display various mediums, with some using stretched canvas while others experiment with materials such as wood panels and clay, adding distinctive textures and dimensions. 

This blend of techniques and media invites viewers to recognize the interconnectedness of art and cultural identity worldwide.

Visitors can appreciate how elements from the land and sea bring life to the displayed artworks’ color palettes and artistic designs.

The still-life drawings also showcase the artists’ attention to detail and innovative creative abilities.

Yousef Al-Harbi, director of the association’s branch in Dammam, said that such exhibitions helped visitors to “gain a deeper understanding of their history and identity,” fostering a sense of pride. 

The event has drawn significant interest, with the selection committee receiving 167 submissions from 98 artists, ultimately selecting 47 artworks for display, each representing different schools of thought and techniques in the art world.

In addition, the exhibition featured interactive events, including a workshop on acrylic painting on Nov. 2 and a live painting session on Nov. 3. 

Al-Harbi highlighted the association’s broader impact, saying: “In the past four months, we have delivered 38 training workshops, held eight art exhibitions and presented 21 theatrical performances,” aiming to establish the Eastern Province as a center of artistic creativity.

The association is dedicated to nurturing local talent in harmony with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, focusing on cultural identity and sustainable development.

 


Second Riyadh Dog Festival focuses on Arabian Saluki

Second Riyadh Dog Festival focuses on Arabian Saluki
Updated 5 sec ago
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Second Riyadh Dog Festival focuses on Arabian Saluki

Second Riyadh Dog Festival focuses on Arabian Saluki
  • Event features more than 1,000 dogs in various activities
  • Furry friends to compete in races, agility competitions and beauty contests

RIYADH: The Riyadh Dog Festival returns for its second year with a range of activities and competitions to draw an international crowd of dog lovers, with a spotlight on the Arabian Saluki breed.

The festival, part of Riyadh Season 2024, began on Dec. 2 and is scheduled to run until Dec. 7, featuring more than 1,000 dogs in various activities, according to the General Entertainment Authority.

It will host several competitions, including five main categories: Saluki races, agility dog races, working dog races, a dog beauty contest, and K9 shows.

Attendee Sara Abdulrahman brought her white miniature poodle Cloud, who struck a pose in his colorfully dyed ears and paws.

Abdulrahman told Arab News she attended the event to see what the festival had to offer.

“I want to see what they (Riyadh Season) have prepped for Saudi Arabia and who will win the competition. I also came to get a change of scenery and take a walk with Cloud.”

Wanting her pet to have a different look, Abdulrahman found a pet salon in the Kingdom that dyes animals’ coats with natural ingredients.

“I wanted a different look for my poodle. They are all usually white or brown so I wanted something new and stylish.”

Abdulrahman is one of the many visitors who attended the festival with their pets.

The event spotlights the Saluki breed with a specialized museum. The Saluki is one of the oldest purebred dogs in the world and is believed to have originated in the Middle East.

The museum includes an educational exhibit about the breed’s history and regional significance.

Other attractions at the festival include a Cat Lounge, with different breeds of cats visitors can feed and play with, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and classic car display featuring decked-out motorcycles and vintage vehicles.

Additional activities include dog fashion shows, grooming demonstrations, a dog park, and a sheepdog demonstration.

The event offers comprehensive facilities and services, including a dedicated dog club, diverse restaurants and cafes, retail shops, and fully equipped health clinics to ensure proper care for participating dogs.


Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition displays 1,200 years of human heritage in Riyadh

The Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition is being held in Riyadh until Dec. 7. (SPA)
The Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition is being held in Riyadh until Dec. 7. (SPA)
Updated 58 min 18 sec ago
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Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition displays 1,200 years of human heritage in Riyadh

The Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition is being held in Riyadh until Dec. 7. (SPA)
  • Exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preserving global cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue

RIYADH: The Saudi Manuscripts Exhibition is being held in Riyadh until Dec. 7, with a display of human heritage spanning more than 1,200 years.

Blending historical diversity with modernity, the exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to preserving global cultural heritage and promoting intercultural dialogue, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Organized by the Libraries Commission, the exhibition is a global focal point for dialogue and innovation, bringing together visitors and researchers through 22 workshops and 30 panel discussions.

These sessions highlight the latest techniques in manuscript preservation and restoration, fostering collaboration among global experts.

The King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives is also participating in the exhibition to show off Saudi heritage and highlight the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve, maintain, digitize and make manuscripts more accessible.

With more than 2,000 rare manuscripts on display — including records from the cultural and intellectual history of the Arabian Peninsula, ancient copies of the Qur’an, scientific, medical and astronomy texts, and manuscripts from the First Saudi State — the exhibition exemplifies the richness and universality of human heritage.

It aims to highlight the Kingdom’s prominent role in preserving and safeguarding cultural heritage while promoting awareness of its civilizational value.

Moreover, it underlines the commission’s efforts to use technology to preserve manuscripts and establish connections with specialized international institutions.

The exhibition has attracted a large number of visitors, immersing them in a rich cultural and civilizational legacy, SPA reported.

Among the exhibition’s highlights is The Title of Glory in the History of Najd, a manuscript that is more than 100 years old, preserved by the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh.

Another featured piece, Explanation of the Chapters of Hippocrates, is presented using hologram technology, enabling visitors to explore its chapters interactively and learn about its significant content.

The exhibition underscores Saudi Arabia’s efforts to make its historical and intellectual heritage accessible to the public while using cutting-edge technology to enhance engagement and understanding.


Saudi Arabia launches second phase of air bridge to Lebanon

Saudi Arabia launches second phase of air bridge to Lebanon
Updated 04 December 2024
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Saudi Arabia launches second phase of air bridge to Lebanon

Saudi Arabia launches second phase of air bridge to Lebanon
  • Initiative includes food, shelter, medical supplies, winter aid for displaced people

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has launched the second phase of an air bridge to Lebanon to help alleviate the suffering of people displaced by deadly Israeli strikes.

Nasser Al-Nafe, a spokesman for the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, told Arab News that this initiative continues the Kingdom’s humanitarian role in alleviating the suffering of those affected around the world.

He said the second phase was launched in accordance with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to KSrelief, providing humanitarian aid to those affected and displaced in Lebanon.

Al-Nafe said that the initiative includes sending 27 planes carrying essential supplies such as food, shelter materials, medical aid, baby formula, personal care items and winter supplies, including blankets.

The mission, coordinated with relevant Lebanese authorities, will distribute aid to displaced families in shelters in various regions of Lebanon, helping to alleviate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Continuing these efforts, KSrelief also announced the second phase of an aid initiative focused on various food, shelter and health projects to meet the needs of Lebanese families.

These efforts will be carried out in collaboration with international and UN humanitarian organizations and local community institutions in Lebanon.

This initiative is expected to provide support to more than 1.6 million people.

KSrelief emphasizes the need to intensify humanitarian efforts in Lebanon, including supporting medical centers for emergency services and covering part of operational costs.

Among the key facilities supported are the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut, the Tripoli Governmental Hospital in northern Lebanon, and primary healthcare centers in the most hard-hit areas of Lebanon.

KSrelief also supports health and child programs across Lebanon in collaboration with local and international institutions, benefiting hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens and refugees.

Additionally, the Saudi aid agency is working to increase the production capacity of bakeries in regions with high numbers of displaced people and to cover winter clothing needs for thousands of Lebanese families.


Coming up roses — Taif blooms and henna honored by UNESCO 

Coming up roses — Taif blooms and henna honored by UNESCO 
Updated 04 December 2024
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Coming up roses — Taif blooms and henna honored by UNESCO 

Coming up roses — Taif blooms and henna honored by UNESCO 

RIYADH: Taif roses and henna are among the latest traditions to secure a place on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, thanks to the Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission.

The recognition comes following collaborative efforts by the commission, the Saudi National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, and Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, with the UAE as the leading country for the initiative.

Henna has great cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, with the art mastered by women and passed down through generations. It represents “joy and optimism” and is a social tradition that strengthens community bonds.

Meanwhile, in the Kingdom’s elevated terrains that span the Al-Hada mountains, Wadi Muharram, Wadi Ghazal, Wadi Qawah, Bilad Tuwairq, and Al-Shifa, the Taif rose has flourished as a cultural and historical symbol. Cultivation techniques, passed down through generations, have contributed to its status.

The Taif rose has been woven into the fabric of Saudi history. Taif’s distinct geography, with its fertile soil and moderate temperatures, provides ideal conditions for the flower to thrive allowing local families to perfect their agricultural expertise over the centuries.

From harvesting and distillation to extracting oil and water, knowledge has been passed down from one generation to the next. Growing along the slopes of Mount Ghazwan, these roses benefit from the area’s cool mountain breezes and spectacular landscape.

Rosewater derived from the blooms serves a sacred purpose in the annual washing of the Holy Kaaba and is favored by various segments of society, particularly royalty and elite Gulf families.

Farmer Raddad bin Radda Al-Talhi spoke to Saudi Press Agency and explained that what began as a small-scale cultivation in the mountain peaks has transformed into a thriving industry.

The sector now represents a significant investment in the Saudi market, valued at over SR64 million ($17 million). The scale of production has increased dramatically, with farms across the Sarawat mountains now harvesting approximately 550 million roses each year.

The industry encompasses more than 910 Taif rose farms across the province, supported by 70 factories and laboratories. These facilities produce over 80 different rose-derived products.

Al-Talhi said the time-honored distillation process of the Taif rose followed precise, traditional methods, beginning with carefully cultivated roses harvested from local farms.

Distillation relies on specially copper vessels, chosen for their superior heat conductivity compared to other metals. The higher temperatures optimize both efficiency and yield.

The process results in three distinct products — standard rosewater, concentrated rosewater (traditionally known as bride’s water) and the globally coveted rose oil.


Saudi firms back mass wedding at Riyadh Season

Saudi firms back mass wedding at Riyadh Season
Updated 04 December 2024
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Saudi firms back mass wedding at Riyadh Season

Saudi firms back mass wedding at Riyadh Season

RIYADH: Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, sponsored a ceremony on Wednesday for signing agreements tied to the mass wedding initiative.

Set for January, the wedding of 300 couples is part of Riyadh Season’s social responsibility efforts and will be held on the two largest stages of Boulevard City.

The Abu Bakr Salem Stage will host the men’s hall, while the Mohammed Abdu Arena will host the women’s hall.

Al-Sheikh and Majid Al-Hogail, minister of municipal, rural affairs and housing, and chairman of Sakkan Foundation, signed an agreement to secure donations from benefactors, partners and supporters.

The contributions aim to support the mass wedding initiative and provide housing for newlyweds through the Jood Eskan platform under Sakani program conditions.

Faisal Bafarat, CEO of the authority, also signed an agreement with Saudi Telecommunications Co. CEO Olayan Al-Wetaid to provide wedding beneficiaries with free internet for one year.

Banque Saudi Fransi, represented by CEO Badr Al-Salloum, pledged SR1 million ($266,000) in financial support.

Ajlan & Brothers, led by CEO Ajlan Al-Ajlan, committed to providing gifts worth more than SR2 million.

Abu Al-Hassan Trading and Investment Group, represented by business development manager Fahad Al-Manea, committed SR1 million in financial support.

The ceremony also saw several companies pledging to offer services to couples during the major charitable event.

Services include hospitality, dining, hall decorations, bridal and groom attire, perfumes, grooming, premarital tests, coffee and tea, and family counseling sessions.