Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 

Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 
Bilal Allaf’s 'What I Heard in the Valley.' (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 21 February 2025
Follow

Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 

Contemporary art at the Islamic Arts Biennale 
  • Curator Muhannad Shono discusses how contemporary works bridge present, past and future 

JEDDAH: “The role of contemporary (art) is to act as a link between the past, our present and this imagining of our future,” says Muhannad Shono, contemporary art curator at the second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, which opened in January and runs through May. 

Shono’s section of the biennale features 30 new commissions from local and international artists “giving shape to the theme,” which this year is “And All That is in Between” — drawn from a Qur’anic verse: “To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is in between” — guiding artists and audiences to reflect on the spaces that exist between known boundaries, whether physical, spiritual, or conceptual. 

Set across multiple indoor galleries and integrated into outdoor spaces, the contemporary works are woven seamlessly into the Biennale’s landscape alongside ancient artifacts. 




Muhannad Shono. (Supplied)

One striking example is in the AlMidhallah section, where Japanese artist Takashi Kuribayashi’s installation, “Barrels,” features a formation of oil barrels from which a tree emerges, with reflective mirrors blurring the line between man-made and natural elements.  

Pakistani artist Imran Qureshi’s “Zubaydah Trail (Between Sacred Cities),” meanwhile, is an immersive space where visitors are invited to kick off their shoes and sit and reflect between the Makkah Al-Mukarramah and Madinah Al-Munawwarah biennale pavilions. Deeply saturated, vibrant strips of color make the space feel both playful and serious at once. Each color and shape carries symbolic meaning — the zig-zag pattern represents the streaming water of Makkah’s Zamzam well, while the green hue evokes the peacefulness of Madinah. 

There are many other beautiful works, such as Saudi artist Bilal Allaf’s “What I Heard in the Valley,” which draws inspiration from Sa’i, the ritual walk performed by pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah. 

“The overall theme of the biennale is interpreted across five galleries and, of course, across the contemporary interpretations as well,” says the biennale’s artistic director Abdul Rahman Azzam. Contemporary art here serves as a bridge, as Shono suggested, linking the past, present, and possible futures. 




Takashi Kuribayashi's 'Barrels.' (Supplied)

AlBidaya, which translates to “the beginning,” is one of the galleries where this concept comes to life, exploring the emotional connections between objects and ideas. 

“In the beginning, we were kind of focusing on the heavens and the earth. But then we realized that the true power and potential of this biennale is ‘all that is in between,’” Shono tells Arab News. “This idea of the inclusive, the expansive, the layered, the transformative space that is liminal, that is not interested in its edges, it’s not focused on the binary of options of right and wrong and light and dark and good and evil. It is more interested in that new space that we are exploring.”  

Shono was a featured artist at the first Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023. His role this time is very different, but it’s an opportunity he embraced wholeheartedly. 

“I responded yes immediately and I threw myself into the work,” he says. “It was a shift in priorities, it was a shift in what I thought my year was going to look like, and it was completely kind of throwing yourself into the process, into motion. 

“The most surprising part about preparing was how natural it felt. (I wanted to make sure) that I went through this with a smile, and because I experienced the last edition, I knew what it was going to end up feeling like. So it wasn’t an attempt to top anything or compete with anything but more to do it honestly and naturally, as I would do my own work.” 




Imran Qureshi’s 'Zubaydah Trail (Between Sacred Cities).' (Supplied)

What was especially important to him as a curator was working with younger Saudi artists and emerging voices. 

“The word ‘change’ is used a lot here in Saudi and the Biennale really embodies that, bringing in the past — which was very rigid… did not want to be negotiated with, did not want to change its narrative or the parameters of its definitions and space — and bringing contemporary thoughts embodied in contemporary art practices, whose roles are to question, think laterally, reimagine, reinterpret,” he says. “It’s a big testimony to what the country’s going through. And so when I was invited, I really wanted to do it — this speaks to my work and I wanted to extend that into the role of curation.” 

Many of the featured artists were present at the opening, engaging with visitors. “(Art) is not just about showing things; it’s about experiencing things, exchanging things. It responds to your presence. It reacts to you,” says Shono. 

He is grateful to see so many visitors eager to engage with Saudi Arabia’s art scene. The experience, he believes, speaks for itself. 

“Every visit, every person who takes that leap of faith — beyond the stereotypes — is enacting change, is experiencing something that can’t be reversed because you’re really coming in contact with the truth, with people, their lives, their generosity, their authenticity,” he says. 

While he is curating the spaces, he does not want to curate the impressions. 

“I think most of the people are coming here and seeing for themselves what is going on in this country,” he says. “I grew up here in Saudi, so to see a country go through this very rooted experiment of social change… it’s important for it to succeed not only for the sake of this country, but for the entire region.” 


Saudi ‘farm for experimentation’ on show in Milan exhibition 

Saudi ‘farm for experimentation’ on show in Milan exhibition 
Updated 09 May 2025
Follow

Saudi ‘farm for experimentation’ on show in Milan exhibition 

Saudi ‘farm for experimentation’ on show in Milan exhibition 
  • The curators of the Saudi Pavilion at the Triennale Milano discuss their Al-Ahsa-inspired work 

AL-AHSA: Saudi Arabia’s lush oasis of Al-Ahsa will be in full bloom in Italy next week at the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, which runs from May 13 to Nov. 9 at Milan’s Palazzo dell’Arte. 

Al-Ahsa is officially recognized as the world’s largest oasis, and is home to more than 2.5 million date palms.  

The Kingdom’s debut pavilion at the exhibition is “Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation,” which, according to the exhibition’s website, is “structured as a transplanted maghras — a unit of land demarcated by four palm trees” and “symbolically frames the dialogues, material traces, soundscapes of field recordings, and speculative gestures emerging from the space.” 

Date harvest spread across two maghras_Image by Alejandro Stein. (Supplied)

The pavilion, commissioned by the Architecture and Design Commission under the Ministry of Culture, and curated by longtime friends Lulu Almana and Sara Al-Omran, along with US-based creative director Alejandro Stein, is inspired by Al-Ahsa’s Al-Sbakh Farm, established by the late Noura AlMousa. The farm is now managed by the Abdulmonem Alrashed Humanitarian Foundation (named after its founder, AlMousa’s son) and the Noura AlMousa House for Culture and Arts, housed in AlMousa’s former home. 

“We’re really continuing on the lineage of the matriarch,” Al-Omran tells Arab News when we meet the curators at the farm. “Her spirit feels very present because she really cared about craft and culture.” 

Almana and Al-Omran commissioned three Saudi artists to work on the pavilion: Leen Ajlan, a London-based designer from Jeddah; Mohammed Alfaraj, a contemporary artist whose family have been farming in Al-Ahsa for generations; and Tara Aldughaither, founder of Sawtasura, an audio research and learning platform focused primarily on female voices.  

(Supplied)

Through videos, sound installations, and participatory programs, the pavilion will invite visitors to engage with the evolving agricultural ecosystems of Al-Ahsa.  

The maghras concept symbolically ties the exhibition to the land, offering an immersive experience that bridges past traditions with contemporary agricultural practices. 

“Technically, there are three participating artists but it’s more than that — there is a big team,” Almana says. “Then there’s all the research that’s being displayed through illustrations and maps and texts that the team worked on. There’s also all the programs and workshops that have been a big part of it.” The fruits of this collective effort will be published in a book later this year.   

Al-Omran explains that her grandparents are from Al-Ahsa. “I always hear, particularly from my grandfather, these stories of Al-Ahsa. And when he speaks about it, it feels like this mythical place that doesn’t really connect to what I see here (now),” she says. “I grew up in (Alkhobar), but would come here every week. Many of my best memories were here; running around on the farm, seeing the frogs and the rabbits and the sheep and playing around. And also understanding seasons and seeing crops and produce. But through conversations with him, I saw this contrast of the place that he talks about and the place I’m witnessing. And I realize that it’s really within a lifetime that the environment has shifted so much.” 

A workshop in the ancient village of Battaliyah_Image courtesy of Maghras. (Supplied)

Al-Omran’s family, including her grandfather, attended the opening event at Al-Sbakh Farm last autumn, where they saw their hometown celebrated in a new light. 

“They’re proud. They’re really happy to see that Al-Ahsa is spoken about,” Al-Omran says. “They see that it’s not just about the past, but a way of thinking about the future.” 

The unfolding narrative of the project has emphasized community engagement. “It was really nice and natural,” says Almana. “It didn’t feel forced in any way. People were saying, ‘You’re doing something important.’ It felt impactful despite its small gestures.” 

After nearly a decade of living abroad in large, congested cities including London and New York, Almana says the initial intention for this project, for her, “was that I needed to get rooted into a place, build knowledge, and build a community of like-minded people who share similar concerns, questions and values: How do we preserve the identity of a place that’s constantly changing? How do we share our concerns and ideas for regeneration, for reviving certain things? It matters to build a community around these questions. Then everything becomes more meaningful and interesting.” 

Almana had only visited Al-Ahsa briefly up until five years ago, during COVID, when she finally spent a significant amount of time there. She found the place inspirational. “It hit me that there’s this urban-rural tension. The big cities get attention, but the rural, historic agricultural places are overshadowed. I wanted to dive into agriculture and build a community of like-minded people,” she says. 

Almana’s partnership with Al-Omran added an insider’s perspective to the project. In Milan, visitors will experience the “true essence” of Al-Ahsa, the pair say.  

“We really wanted to represent Maghras in the most authentic way,” Almana explains. “It’s a community-based project within a morphing landscape, not just a static thing.” 

And Milan, she hopes, is just the start. “We want this to grow into something longer-term, and we’ve conveyed that to the ministry, which supports this vision,” she says. 

Al-Omran stresses the amount of research that was involved in creating the pavilion. “We’re looking at a display of research material that we assembled for our first event back in October. And at that point we had spent about three or four months looking at archival research and doing a lot of interviews.” 

The first activation was both a presentation and a checkpoint.  

“We wanted to take a moment to sift through the material we’d come across and the conversations we’d listened to. It was important to do that during the opening, where we welcomed the community and spoke about the project, because it was important to hear people’s reflections on the research as it emerges; we felt that would influence the direction,” she says. 

“Sometimes we don’t really realize what’s lost until generations have passed. And it felt like we were in a moment where the shifts are happening,” she continues. “So it felt urgent to talk about it now, while that generation is still around.” 


Recipes for Success: Chef Soner Muran offers advice and a tasty fried mussels recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Soner Muran offers advice and a tasty fried mussels recipe 
Updated 09 May 2025
Follow

Recipes for Success: Chef Soner Muran offers advice and a tasty fried mussels recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Soner Muran offers advice and a tasty fried mussels recipe 

DUBAI: Soner Muran may have sharpened his culinary skills at one of Turkey’s top schools, but it was his grandmother’s cooking that lit the initial fire. 

“My earliest memory is grilling sardines with my grandmother. The smell of the sea and the fire stayed with me. I knew early on this was what I wanted to do,” Muran tells Arab News. 

“I started studying in the most famous chef school in Turkey (Bolu Mengen Culinary School) when I was 14. After four years of education, I started working in Istanbul’s fine-dining restaurants,” he continues. 

Muran is now head chef at Sur.Dubai. (Supplied)

Muran is now head chef at Sur.Dubai — inspired by SurBalik, a seafood restaurant that has been a cornerstone of Istanbul’s culinary scene for 20 years. Sur.Dubai has a Mediterranean-inspired menu that highlights the coastal heritage of Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean regions. 

“We cook fish over a wood fire, which is rare in Dubai,” says Muran. “That fire adds depth, smoke, and tradition. Our flavors are bold but simply focused on quality seafood, modern touches, treated with respect.” 

Here, Muran talks about his love for seafood and his favorite dish to cook, and shares a simple fried mussels recipe. 

What was the most common mistake you made when you were starting out?  

I used too many ingredients. I thought more meant better. But great cooking is about balance, not showing off. Now, I focus on fewer elements, greater techniques, and give extra care to every single ingredient in a dish. 

Sur.Dubai is inspired by SurBalik, a seafood restaurant that has been a cornerstone of Istanbul’s culinary scene for 20 years. (Supplied)

What’s your top tip for amateur chefs (cooking at home)? 

Reduce ready-made items. If possible, avoid buying them altogether. Good food takes a little time, even if it’s simple. Take your time to cook better food.  Also, taste as you go. Trust your senses. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?  

Olive oil. A splash of acidity can lift flavors, balance richness and bring freshness. Especially with seafood, it’s magic. 

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?  

Yes, it’s hard to switch off. I don’t judge harshly, but I notice details.

Sur.Dubai has a Mediterranean-inspired menu that highlights the coastal heritage of Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean regions. (Supplied)

What’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants? 

The most common issue is lack of seasoning or dishes that try to do too much.  

What’s your favorite cuisine?  

Seafood, always. I like to see how other chefs handle it — how fresh it is, how it’s cooked, what flavors they use. It tells me a lot about the restaurant. And I just love seafood; it’s clean, light, and full of character. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?  

A simple risotto with parmesan and lemon. It’s comforting, quick if you keep stirring, and you can adjust it based on what you have — like peas, herbs, or shrimp. It feels special even when it’s simple. 
 
What customer request most frustrates you?  

When guests ask for a perfectly cooked fish, then ask for it well done. Or when people expect fast-food timing from a wood-fire kitchen. Good things take time. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook?   

Olive oil braised root vegetables with a nicely grilled wild seabass together with some butter-glazed mussels. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right (whether on your current menu or not)?  

Bouillabaisse. It’s a traditional French seafood stew, but making it properly is complex. The broth needs depth from the fish bones, shellfish, and herbs. Timing is everything — each seafood needs different cooking times. It’s a dish that tests your control and your palate. 

As a head chef, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian?  

I’m focused but fair. I don’t shout — I lead by example. I want my team to love what they do but also take pride in doing it well. Respect is key, both ways. 

Chef Soner’s fried mussels recipe  

Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, salt, pepper, and cold sparkling water into a thick batter. 

Dip cleaned mussels in batter. 

Deep fry at 180°C until golden (2–3 mins). 

Drain and serve hot with tarator sauce. 

Tarator Sauce 

Soak and squeeze stale bread (1 cup). 

Blend with 1/2 cup walnuts, 3–4 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, and salt. 

Add water if needed for a smooth texture. 

Serving Tip: 
Serve with pickles and fresh coriander leaves for extra flavor. 


Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 
Updated 08 May 2025
Follow

Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

DUBAI: Primark is officially making its way to Dubai, marking its debut in the UAE after years of rumors about the popular store’s launch in the country. 
The popular budget retailer is partnering with retail giant Alshaya Group to open three stores in Dubai, as announced by Alshaya Group CEO John Hadden on Virgin Radio Dubai’s Kris Fade Show. 
Set to launch in early 2026, the stores will be located at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif.
“Price is the same. We’re going to do jeans at a starting price of AED 50 and a basic t-shirt will be AED 15,” Hadden said on the show. “I’m so excited I can’t sustain it. It’s just brilliant.”
Primark’s regional debut is set for The Avenues Mall in Kuwait, with the store expected to open by late 2025. Following that, the brand will expand to Dubai as its next stop in the Middle East.
Primark began 55 years ago in Dublin, Ireland, where it originally opened under the name Penneys. Since then, it has grown to operate 450 stores worldwide.
With a presence in 15 European countries and 16 locations in the United States, the brand offers a wide range of products including clothing for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics, home goods and accessories.


Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London
Updated 08 May 2025
Follow

Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London
  • The UK capital’s latest Saudi restaurant drew the crowds for its opening night

LONDON: North London just got a little warmer. On May 1, at 510 Holloway Rd, the heart of the Kingdom found a new home in the UK capital. With oud music drifting through the air and the scent of spiced lamb and simmering wheat pulling people in from the street, Diwan Kitchen opened its doors to the public.

The new Saudi restaurant isn't just serving food. It’s telling stories.

The interiors are a soft, glowing tribute to the Kingdom’s past. From carved wood panels evoking the mudbrick homes of Najd, to vibrant fabrics and lanterns echoing the coastal souqs of Hijaz, every corner of Diwan Kitchen feels like a page from a living history book.

Guests on the restaurant's opening night. (AN Photo)

Those traditional mudbrick homes of Najd, designed to keep cool in scorching summers and warm in desert winters, weren’t just shelters; they were social spaces, built around courtyards, where family, memory, and hospitality were the foundation of daily life.

“We wanted to show people what traditional Saudi dining is like” Adem Nasraddin, co-founder of the restaurant, told Arab News. “There’s a rhythm to Saudi life. A scent, a pace, a flavor. We bottled that feeling and served it on a plate.”

And what a plate it is. The tasting menu is a culinary journey across the Kingdom. You can start in Hijaz, with motabag — pan-fried pastries that are light and crisp and deeply comforting. Whether filled with spiced vegetables, gooey cheese, or minced beef, each bite transports you to a Jeddah street corner at sunset.

There’s foul medammas, a creamy mash of fava beans seasoned the Hijazi way: with garlic, lemon, and cumin. And tamees bread; hot and soft, made for tearing and sharing — just as it should be.

The restaurant serves authentic Saudi cuisine. (AN Photo)

The main courses venture into the windswept heartlands of Najd, with jareesh, a dish made from crushed wheat, simmered with tomatoes and onion, that tastes like something a Bedouin grandmother would proudly serve you under an open sky. Alongside it is marqooq, a rich, flat-dough stew that has nourished generations through long desert nights.

Of course, no Saudi table would be complete without rice. Diners can choose between kabsa — the fragrant national treasure of the central regions — and mandi, with its delicate smoke, hailing from the misty mountains of Asir and the southern valleys.

Then comes saleeg, a creamy rice dish from Taif, cooked in milk and broth and topped with tender chicken. It's the kind of meal that slows you down, insisting you stay a little longer.

“My experience has been that it’s completely authentic,” one Saudi guest, Fahad Habib, told Arab News. “It feels like I’m back home.”

Beyond the menu, Diwan Kitchen is a space built on memory and modernity. Saudi music played at the launch, and as guests chatted over cardamom coffee and dates, the atmosphere was part-family gathering, part-culinary pilgrimage.

The opening night drew a mixed crowd — Saudis living in London, curious neighbors from Holloway Road, and food lovers eager to explore a cuisine that’s still underrepresented in the UK. For many, it was more than just a meal; it was a chance to connect with a culture through flavor, memory, and setting.


Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion
Updated 08 May 2025
Follow

Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

DUBAI: The Saudi presenter and content creator discusses fashion and how family and freedom have influenced her journey. 

Best TV show or film you’ve ever seen?    

The best TV show? “The Walking Dead.” I’ve watched it more than six times. I’m crazy about this show. I’ve been watching it since I was little kid. For movies, I like “Life or Something Like It” with Angelina Jolie. I’ve also been watching it since I was a child. The story of the movie is very nice.  

Worst TV show or film you’ve ever seen?   

“It.” I hate that movie. I don’t understand, are they trying to make kids scared of clowns? They’re already afraid of them. To me the idea is stupid.  

Best personal style moment so far?    

My mom actually does all of my styling. I could get a stylist, but my mom is honestly the best. I like all the outfits she chooses for me. At one event I was emceeing I was wearing a fuchsia dress. It was so bright. I was shining among everyone. I love this outfit!  

Worst personal style moment?    

I don’t have a worst style moment to be honest. There’s a saying in Arabic that means “There is a right moment for everything.” I don’t judge my style that harshly.  

Best accessory for a little black dress?    

A gold belt with simple gold earrings and accessories. All gold. Simple, simple, simple. For heels, it has to be gold. I have gold heels that I love so much. They work with everything!  

Worst accessory for a little black dress?  

Everything matches black. So, I do not think there is a worst accessory. It’s the king of colors.  

Best fashion trend of 2025?    

Statement accessories like bold bags and chunky jewelry. I like when they are out there and obvious, but the outfit itself has to be simple. Accessories give life to the outfit, you know?   

Worst fashion trend of 2025?    

Tiny bags, who wears them anymore? I can’t put anything inside them! It’s a stupid idea.  

Best advice you’ve ever been given?   

Focus on your health, family, money and work. I’d say focus especially on your family. Your mother and father brought you into this world with the hope of raising a child they could be proud of and honored by in front of others. My parents dedicated their entire lives to raising us to become the best versions of ourselves.   

Worst advice you’ve ever been given? 

“Get married early so we can see your kids.” Someone once proposed to me and said that. Thankfully my family said no. I truly appreciated it. They said no to make me free to do whatever I want whenever I want. 

Best thing to do when you’re feeling low?    

When I go to the beach, I swear I am the happiest creature in the world. Also, when I was a little kid, I used to tell my parents to take me ice skating whenever I felt low. This habit stuck with me until now. It gave me really good balance.  

Worst thing to do when you’re feeling good?    

Oversharing my feelings and my money. I’ll go spend my money on my friends and family. My mom keeps telling me: “Stop, you’ll need this money someday.” But I always tell her what goes comes around in double. That’s my motto.   

Best holiday destination?    

Dubai. I really love it. I lived most of my childhood there. I also like Germany. I went there in 2013 with my whole family. It was so nice. Honestly, I remember every moment of it. 

Worst holiday destination?   

I’ve never been to Egypt, but my family were saying they didn’t like it because of the situations they they’ve been in there. 

Best subject at school?  

I used to enjoy history, archaeology and science. Then in college, I did archaeology and tourism. It was meant to be. It was so me.  

Worst subject at school?   

Math, math, math. I remember a lot of Ds and one F.