Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage

Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
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The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
13 / 13
The museums of Hail highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts. (SPA)
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Updated 23 January 2025
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Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage

Hail museums: Treasure troves of history and heritage
  • Samia Suleiman Al-Jabri: Museums play a vital role in preserving heritage, protecting it from extinction, and connecting generations to their civilizational and cultural legacy
  • Al-Jabri: They (museums) provide an information-rich environment that enhances historical and scientific knowledge for both international visitors and tourists

Hail’s museums offer visitors a journey through time, bringing to life the ancient stories of the region’s ancestors.

A number of museums in the city highlight historical ways of life, traditional craftsmanship and an array of archaeological artifacts.

“Museums play a vital role in preserving heritage, protecting it from extinction, and connecting generations to their civilizational and cultural legacy,” Samia Suleiman Al-Jabri, associate professor of modern history at Hail University, told the Saudi Press Agency.

“They provide an information-rich environment that enhances historical and scientific knowledge for both international visitors and tourists, including students, researchers and cultural enthusiasts.

“Moreover, museums are key tourist destinations that promote cultural tourism, offering visitors access to diverse collections of rare heritage artifacts, which in turn significantly boosts the local economy.”

Al-Jabri said that Saudi Arabia’s leadership was committed to enhancing the role of museums nationally, which strengthened national identity by showcasing the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.

The Authenticity Museum is one of the most prominent cultural, heritage and tourist landmarks in Hail.

It features a diverse collection of artifacts and tools that provide insight into the past.

The museum also highlights traditional furniture, from historical majlis (sitting rooms), heritage seating, and intricately hand-crafted cabinets once used in traditional homes.

Ali Bakhrisa, owner of the “Asalah” Museum, said: “Among the most notable items on display are ancient heritage tools, including pottery, cooking implements and hunting gear.

“The museum also showcases a collection of traditional clothing worn by the region’s tribes, featuring men’s garments such as the sadiriyya, dagla, kut and bisht, alongside women’s attire, which is hand-embroidered and woven, including the dagla, sabah, burqas and dara’a once worn by Hail’s women.

“In addition, the museum proudly exhibits a selection of classic cars from various manufacturers.”

The museum, which Bakhrisa said took 20 years to curate through extensive research trips across the Kingdom and beyond, boasts a rich collection of traditional weapons, including swords, daggers and antique rifles.

It also features an exquisite array of traditional jewelry and ornaments, historically worn by women on social occasions and renowned for their authentic heritage designs.

The museum also highlights traditional architecture once common in the region, showcasing distinctive architectural styles and locally sourced building materials.

One of the most renowned museums in Hail is the Found Influence from the Past Museum, housed in a clay structure more than a century old.

Its owner, Khaled Al-Matroud, has carefully transformed this historic home into a museum that showcases a remarkable collection of more than 2,000 artifacts, elegantly arranged across its wings and corridors.

A standout feature is the heritage majlis, known for its soaring ceilings — reaching up to eight meters — and its impressive 15-meter width, reflecting the region’s architectural style.

This majlis was ingeniously designed to adapt to seasonal needs, with distinct shapes for summer and winter.

The museum also preserves the charm of a traditional Hail house, featuring numerous rooms and an open courtyard that facilitates natural ventilation, further enhanced by the lush greenery of palm, orange and lemon trees at its entrance.

Fadi Al-Abdullah, a passionate admirer of historical artifacts, praised these museums for preserving and documenting the intricate details of a past era.

Antar Al-Kilani, an Egyptian resident, views these museums as a gateway to discovering the cultural and historical heritage of the region.


Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025
Updated 13 February 2025
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Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

Akon, Lil Baby to headline MDLBEAST concerts at Formula E Prix Jeddah 2025

DUBAI: Akon and Lil Baby are set to perform at the Formula E Prix this weekend in Jeddah, MDLBEAST announced on Thursday.

The global music powerhouse is bringing the stars to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 14 and 15, adding a dynamic entertainment element to the high-speed racing event.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jeddah E-Prix (@jeddaheprix)

Akon, the Senegalese American singer, producer and entrepreneur known for hits like “Smack That” and “Lonely,” will take the stage on Feb. 14.

Sharing the night with him are Egyptian singer Ruby and rap sensation Wegz.

On Feb. 15, Atlanta rap star Lil Baby — renowned for chart-toppers like “Drip Too Hard” and “Woah” — will bring his signature energy to the stage.

The night will also feature Kuwaiti group Miami Band and Egyptian electronic trio Disco Misr.
 


Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’

Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’
Updated 13 February 2025
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Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’

Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk discusses her debut solo show ‘Worlds Within’
  • ‘I’ve been dabbling with the fantastical,’ says Hana Maatouk

RIYADH: Saudi-Spanish artist Hana Maatouk loves giving gifts. As a child, she presented each member of her family with a comic, abstract doodle that she felt embodied them. “I would narrate my feelings or my response to an event through images,” she tells Arab News.  

Now, her work has drawn crowds in New York to her first solo show, the conclusion of a four-month residency with downtown art space Chinatown Soup. 

Through her work, Maatouk explores Saudi Arabia’s evolving socio-political landscape and her personal memories of growing up there. In that solo exhibition, “Worlds Within,” which took place at NYC Culture Club last month, Maatouk used memory not as the main narrative, but as a way to examine the present.  

"Memory from Omra," 2022. (Supplied)

“Initially, I thought I was going to archive my personal memory and make fantastical images based on my personal narrative. But when I started, I realized that my fascination with memory actually goes beyond myself,” she said.  

“Worlds Within” was part of “Within Reach” — a show encompassing a number of exhibitions celebrating the 2024 class of undergraduate visual arts students from Columbia University, where Maatouk studied, and Barnard College. Maatouk’s vibrant, surrealist work was heavily inspired by the 12th-century Andalusian mystic Ibn Arabi and his philosophical concept of divine time and space.  

During her residency at Chinatown Soup, Maatouk intended to create a picture for every significant memory she has, even if it was just a quick sketch. And what she realized in the process was that her relationship to memory is very much rooted in emotions and images rather than language.  

"The Rocks Are Witness," 2024. (Supplied)

She came into her residency with the work she had created for her thesis, in which the predominant color was a bold red. Her later works slowly developed out of that, and even referenced the doodles she had made as a child.  

One piece, a drawing in charcoal, is a depiction of her memory of Umrah, which she performed with her father and brother when she was around 12 years old. There are no photographs of their trip, so the painting was purely based on her memory. “I still recall the feeling of the white tile beneath my feet. Our pace. My eyes observing, witnessing,” she says. “When I showed that picture to my brother, he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s how I felt it as well.’”  

This piece became “significant in the development of my visual language,” she adds, “because of the fleeting figures. If you look towards the top and the peripheries, the ‘figure’ turns into a simple arc, which becomes a unit on its own. Visually, I reduced the information down to the most basic cell that could still represent a figure but also carry many meanings in its abstraction.”  

"In Two," 2025. (Supplied)

In her discussions with others about her work, a recurring theme was just how unreliable memories can be. This led the artist to explore other questions, such as why we define memory based on what it is not.  

“It’s almost like we’ve pitted memory against fact and made it unreliable in its definition. But what if its power is that it can transcend time and space — that it exists, actually, outside of those two things? It incorporates those two things. But it exists beyond them. It’s timeless,” she says.  

Hana Maatouk. (Supplied)

While the show consists mainly of paintings, Maatouk has trained in many mediums, including sculpture, installation, printmaking, and photography. “I don’t have one particular medium that is ‘it’ forever, I think it’s just a matter of what language fits the idea that I’m working with,” she says. “With painting, most recently, I’ve been dabbling with the fantastical, the fictional, and the mythological, because painting, in its essence, is an illusion. You’re making three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional plane. It already has elements of the fantastical embedded in it. So, when I was writing these narratives about the changes I was observing in Saudi Arabia, it made sense to do it in painting.”  

As the daughter of a Saudi father and Spanish mother, Maatouk says there are aspects of her cultural background, history, and perspective that she’s eager to translate through her work. The challenge is taking these elements outside of their cultural realm to new audiences.  

“My audience (for the latest exhibition was) a New York audience, and actually, at the opening, my friend Sarah, who’s American, brought a friend to the show, and I asked her which piece resonated, and she pointed to the one of Umrah,” she says. 

“What makes a good work for me… I think about it in terms of an emotional transfer. I love to see the work resonating with people in an emotional way, where they feel like something in them was seen in the work.” 


Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia 

Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia 
Updated 13 February 2025
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Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia 

Chef Michael Mina opens his first restaurant in Saudi Arabia 
  • The acclaimed chef on the launch of Taleed and getting back to his Middle Eastern roots 

RIYADH: Egyptian-born American celebrity chef Michael Mina has brought his culinary expertise to Saudi Arabia with the opening of Taleed by Michael Mina in Diriyah.  

Located in Bab Samhan hotel, the restaurant, which opened this month, marks a long-desired expansion for the celebrated chef, who has been eager to build on his presence in the region.  

“I really have wanted to be more present in the Middle East because this is very much tied to my roots and what I grew up with and what I grew up eating,” Mina told Arab News. “When this opportunity came, it just felt new and fresh, especially given where I’m at in my career.” 

Located in Bab Samhan hotel, the restaurant, which opened this month, marks a long-desired expansion for the celebrated chef, who has been eager to build on his presence in the region. (Supplied)

Mina, who was born in Cairo and raised in the US, recalled growing up in a household filled with the aromas of Middle Eastern cuisine. “My mother had eight aunts and uncles,” he said. “Every weekend there’d be 30 people at a home, and the table would be filled with food.” 

This early exposure led him to discover his passion for cooking.  

“My first job was in a restaurant. I started as a dishwasher and then started cooking and I fell in love with it,” he said. “I really enjoyed everything from the creative part to the hospitality part. And as I started to understand it a little bit more, by the time I was 16, I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.  

Charcoal grilled Australian tamohawk. (Supplied)

“But it took two years to explain that to my parents,” he added with a laugh. “It was doctor, lawyer, engineer... A cook wasn’t one of the choices. So it took two years and then I finally convinced them.” 

It hasn’t worked out badly so far. Mina’s eponymous flagship San Francisco restaurant has earned a Michelin star, he’s cooked for three US presidents, and he is a multiple James Beard award winner. 

Chef Alex Griffiths, vice president of culinary for Mina Group, played a key role in shaping the concept for the Riyadh restaurant, ensuring it reflects both the Mina Group’s expertise and traditional Saudi flavors.  

Passion fruit labneh cheesecake. (Supplied) 

“We came to Saudi more than 55 times in the past four or five years to really understand the food heritage,” Griffiths told Arab News. "One of the things we wanted to focus on was how to represent both Mina Group and Chef Mina, while incorporating influences from the Hijazi side of the Kingdom.” 

The menu at Taleed features dishes that reflect this fusion, including shrimp kabsa, spice-marinated yellowtail, and a unique tuna falafel inspired by Mina’s mother’s recipe.  

“We’re using sushi-grade tuna and almost treating it like nigiri, where the falafel is at the bottom and the tuna is dressed on top with Egyptian salad,” explained Griffiths. 

Taleed by Michael Mina in Diriyah. (Supplied)

Looking ahead, Mina sees Taleed as part of Saudi Arabia’s growing culinary movement. “I think the Saudi food scene is going to explode,” he said. “You start to see more and more innovation, but that innovation stays rooted here as well as (in the) different cuisines coming in.” 

For now, his focus is on establishing Taleed as a must-visit dining destination. “It’s always important to get yourself established before looking at doing more,” Mina said.  

When asked what he hopes guests will feel when they visit Taleed, he said: “I think when you do a restaurant right, the thing that I love the most is when you sit at a table and everyone looks around the table and says, ‘I’ve got to come back and have that dish.’ That is the best form of flattery that you can ever get.”  


REVIEW: All is wellness in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ 

REVIEW: All is wellness in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ 
Updated 13 February 2025
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REVIEW: All is wellness in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ 

REVIEW: All is wellness in ‘Apple Cider Vinegar’ 
  • Netflix drama is based on a shocking real-life story 

LONDON: At the start of each of the six episodes of “Apple Cider Vinegar,” one of the main characters looks directly into the camera and says: “This is a true story based on a lie.” It’s a quick way of getting viewers up to speed with the tale of a pair of young Australian women, Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever) and Milla Blake (Alycia Debnam-Carey), who dominated the early days of Instagram and were at the forefront of the emergence of the online wellness movement.  

Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in 'Apple Cider Vinegar.' (Supplied)

Belle (a real person) and Milla (based on entrepreneur Jessica Ainscough) both espouse the use of alternative healing therapies to beat their own cancer diagnoses, and as a result garner massive online followings during the nascent days of influencer culture. The kicker, however, is that Milla’s cancer is very real, and very documented, while Belle’s is quite the opposite. Acknowledging this from the very first episode, director Jeffrey Walker smartly levels the playing field — whether you’re familiar with the real-world story or not, the secret at the center of Belle’s web of lies, and the business empire that was built upon it, adds a dramatic heft and sense of satisfying inevitability to “Apple Cider Vinegar,” even as the show’s timeline leaps forward and backwards with abandon. 

In addition to following Belle and Milla, the show also focuses on Lucy — a cancer patient who is one of Belle’s most ardent followers — and Chanelle, Milla’s friend who later becomes Belle’s assistant. But Walker never strays far from the central conceit: Belle’s fascinating and horrifying propensity to lie her way into more trouble knows no bounds, and no lie is too extreme for a young woman who is clearly very troubled.  

Kaitlyn Dever as Belle in 'Apple Cider Vinegar.' (Supplied)

Dever deftly avoids painting Belle as a pantomime villain, but also leans into the malice bubbling just beneath the personable surface. Debnam-Carey’s Milla is an altogether different part — while there’s no subterfuge, there is a frighteningly naïve lack of understanding of the power Milla wields over family and followers. 

“Apple Cider Vinegar” relies on its powerhouse leads, but it’s also a carefully considered cautionary tale that recounts a fascinating period of our recent history. It’s concise, hard-hitting and, having emerged with very little fanfare, reminiscent of the best Netflix sleeper hits. 


Sculpting stories: An exhibition of bronze artistry

Sculpting stories: An exhibition of bronze artistry
Updated 12 February 2025
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Sculpting stories: An exhibition of bronze artistry

Sculpting stories: An exhibition of bronze artistry
  • Exhibit showcased Iraqi culture in Riyadh
  • Art should reflect the myriad experiences of life, says sculptor

RIYADH: Three artists have brought an exhibition of bronze sculptures showcasing the history and culture of Iraq to Riyadh.

From Feb. 3 to 12, the Mahd Alfnon Gallery, located in the Al-Mousa Center in Riyadh and owned by the visual artist and sculptor Mahdia Al-Taleb, hosted the exhibition, titled “7x3 Experiences in Iraqi Sculpture.”

It featured the sculptures of three prominent Iraqi artists — Redha Farhan, Haythem Hassan and Najm Al-Qaysi — who each presented seven bronze sculptures. 

The exhibition showcased the innovative and expressive aspects of contemporary Iraqi sculpture, uncovering the cultural narratives that influence their art.

Each artist brought a distinctive perspective to their work, reflecting both personal and shared experiences. 

Redha Farhan, from Baghdad, combines animal forms with human figures in his striking sculptures. 

His sculptures depict ducks, giraffes and camels, intricately woven into narratives that highlight his meticulous attention to detail. 

“My work is deeply rooted in Iraq’s rich history, inspired by ancient artifacts and the stories they tell,” Farhan told Arab News. 

The textured bronze pieces evoke authenticity and emotional depth, inviting viewers to connect with his homeland. 

The second artist, Haythem Hassan, adds another layer of depth to the exhibition with his playful yet meaningful sculptures. 

Graduating with a diploma in sculpture from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, Hassan’s work includes elements such as flowers, birds and imaginative figures that highlight a blend of imagination and reality. 

“Art should reflect the myriad experiences of life; it’s a dialogue between the work and the viewer,” he said. “Through my sculptures, I aim to provoke emotions and encourage viewers to reflect on their own journeys.” 

This focus on connection and interpretation is key to Hassan’s artistic philosophy, aimed at sparking conversations about the human experience.

Najm Al-Qaysi, known for his creative use of both bronze and stainless steel, displayed lively sculptures that incorporate balloon-like shapes. 

This playful quality, combined with bronze’s heaviness, results in pieces that feel both solid and light.

“I want my work to challenge perceptions of reality,” Al-Qaysi said. “By blending playful colors and forms, I invite viewers to experience a sense of wonder and introspection.” 

He believes that sculpture should evoke strong feelings, encouraging audiences to engage emotionally with each piece.

Al-Taleb, inspired by the connections among artists in the digital age, said: “The idea emerged through social media channels. 

“Since artists around the world have had constant communication through these mediums, it feels as if the world has become a small village.” 

She emphasized the importance of showcasing Iraqi art in creating new links between cultures.

“This exhibition is about connection,” she said. “It honors the strength of our cultural heritage while fostering dialogue about the challenges and triumphs we navigate as artists.” 

Al-Taleb saw the event as a chance to improve the appreciation of sculpture as a prominent art form in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

The exhibition offered a chance for artists to interact with their audience, improving the understanding of their work.

“Art should not exist in a vacuum; it is part of a larger narrative,” Farhan added, emphasizing the exhibition’s goal of community engagement.

Through their creative expressions in bronze, the artists told stories of resilience, creativity and discovery. As the exhibition concluded, it inspired a deeper appreciation of Iraqi sculpture.