Works by renowned 20th-century Latin American artists presented in new exhibition in Doha

Works by renowned 20th-century Latin American artists presented in new exhibition in Doha
Varo, Remedios Armonía (Autorretrato sugerente), 1956, Colección Eduardo F. Costantini. (Supplied)
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Updated 06 May 2025
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Works by renowned 20th-century Latin American artists presented in new exhibition in Doha

Works by renowned 20th-century Latin American artists presented in new exhibition in Doha

DOHA: One of revered Mexican artist Diego Rivera’s best-known paintings is now on display at the National Museum of Qatar. Titled “Baile en Tehuantepec” (“Dance in Tehuantepec”) and completed in 1920, it depicts a group of female Oaxacan dancers dressed in bright costumes poised to begin the Zandunga dance. The painting, like others by Riviera at the time, aimed to depict the social life of Mexico. With time, the work, exhibited a few years later at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, became one of the most expensive paintings in Latin American art.




Lam, Wilfredo, Omi Obini, ALTA. (Supplied)

Nearly a century after Riviera painted the work, it is on show in Doha in “LATINOAMERICANO,” a comprehensive exhibition running until July 19. Showcasing over 170 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, installation, video, photographs, films and archival documentation by over 100 artists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Paraguay, Mexico, Venezuela and Uruguay, the exhibition offers an in-depth look at Latin American art from 1900 to the present in what marks the first-ever show of its kind in West Asia and North Africa for the genre.

The exhibition, organized in partnership with Qatar Museums, is a pivotal aspect of the Qatar, Argentina and Chile 2025 Year of Culture. It presents modern and contemporary artworks from the collections of Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Eduardo F. Costantini and Qatar Museums institutions like Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Future Art Mill Museum, among others.




Rivera, Diego, Baile en Tehuantepec, 1928, Colección Eduardo F. Costantini. (Supplied)

Curated by Issa Al-Shirawi, a Qatari curator, researcher and head of international exhibitions at Qatar Museums, and Maria Amalia Garcia, curator in chief at Malba, the show ambitiously strives to capture the diverse art and culture of an entire continent.

“The exhibition promotes an exchange of knowledge through art, continuing Qatar Museums’ emphasis on showing art histories from underrated and underappreciated art histories,” Al-Shirawi told Arab News, underlining how Latin American artists have consistently challenged narratives, readapted local traditions and influenced artistic movements across the world.

There are several pieces Al-Shirawi notes that highlight the artistic exchange between the Middle East and Latin America.




Candido Portinari. Festa de Sao Joao, 1936. (Supplied)

One is by Uruguayan-born artist Gonzalo Fonseca who traveled to the Middle East during the 1950s where he visited archaeological sites that made a lasting impact on his sculptural work, highly conceptual with great references to architectural forms.

Another is a vibrant painting by Lebanese-born artist Bibi Zogbe, who emigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina and became known throughout South America as “la pintura de flores” (“the flower painter”).

These works are displayed alongside those of both globally renowned artists from the continent, like Colombian artist Fernando Botero, Cuban painter Wilfredo Lam, Belkis Ayon, also from Cuba, known for her work on African influences in the Caribbean island, and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, among many others.




Candido Portinari. Festa de Sao Joao, 1936. (Supplied)

The exhibition’s in-depth thematic sections provide a first taste for those new to Latin American art.

“At first, we thought we would organize the show chronologically, but then we realized that it was crucial to show the connections between traditional art and various modern and contemporary movements and what influenced these,” Al-Shirawi aid. “How does the traditional translate back into the contemporary? And how does the contemporary go back to the traditional?

A poignant multisensory installation that demonstrates this and that, in Al-Shirawi’s opinion, serves as one of the “anchor” works for the exhibition is by Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuna. Titled “Quipu desparecido” (“Disappeared Quipu,” 2018), it refers to the Andean civilization’s quipus — knotted strings made of colored and spun or plied wood or llama hair — used to record information. The practice was crucial to societal organization across the ancient Incan Empire but was decimated by the Spanish colonization. Vicuna’s artwork pays homage to these important threads to reactivate the memory of the quipus, which she refers to as a “poem in space, a way to remember, involving the body and the cosmos at once.”


700 works entered for Dammam’s small-format art exhibition

700 works entered for Dammam’s small-format art exhibition
Updated 07 July 2025
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700 works entered for Dammam’s small-format art exhibition

700 works entered for Dammam’s small-format art exhibition
  • Event seeks to ‘bridge the gap between artists and the public,’ organizer says
  • Successful pieces to be announced on July 17

DAMMAM: Artists from across the country have submitted more than 700 works for the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts in Dammam’s annual showcase.

Now in its sixth year, the “Endless Possibilities for Art” exhibition focuses exclusively on works measuring 30 cm by 30 cm and seeks to deepen connections between artists and viewers by creating interactive display environments.

A total of 705 pieces from 235 artists in 25 cities were entered for this year’s show and the submission process is now closed, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Youssef Al-Harbi, the society’s director, said: “This initiative seeks to bridge the gap between artists and the public by making original artworks more attainable and fostering a deeper connection between creators and collectors through deeper sensory and visual readings of artistic works.

“It also showcases the richness of techniques and diversity of artistic schools, reflecting the cultural and visual diversity of the Kingdom’s regions and their aesthetic uniqueness.”

The show built on the society’s ongoing efforts to champion visual arts and encouraged artists and collectors to find common ground through ownership, he said.

The society will announce which works have been chosen for the exhibition on July 17.


Fontaines DC display words ‘Israel is committing genocide’ on screen at London gig

Fontaines DC display words ‘Israel is committing genocide’ on screen at London gig
Updated 07 July 2025
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Fontaines DC display words ‘Israel is committing genocide’ on screen at London gig

Fontaines DC display words ‘Israel is committing genocide’ on screen at London gig

DUBAI: Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC played a sold-out concert in London’s Finsbury Park on Saturday night during which the words “Free Palestine” and “Israel is committing genocide” were projected onto screens. 

Lead singer Grian Chatten performed in front of the 45,000-strong crowd dressed in a kilt and a Sinead O’Connor t-shirt, the Independent reported. 

A piece of music equipment on the north London stage was wrapped in a Palestinian flag and “Israel is committing genocide. Use your voice” came up on the screens after the last song. 

The show comes after multiple artists voiced support for the people of Palestine at the Glastonbury music festival in June.

Last week, the US revoked entry visas for members of British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan following their Glastonbury Festival set, during which frontman Bobby Vylan led the crowd in a controversial chant against Israel’s military.

Performing on the festival’s West Holts Stage on Saturday, the artist shouted “Free, free Palestine” before encouraging the audience to chant, “Death, death to the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).” Video of the moment quickly spread online, sparking backlash.

Meanwhile, Irish rap group Kneecap drew one of the festival’s largest crowds at the West Holts Stage. Dozens of Palestinian flags flew in the crowd as the show opened with an audio montage of news clips referring to the band’s critics and legal woes.

Between high-energy numbers that had fans forming a large mosh pit, the band members — sporting keffiyehs — led the audience in chants of “Free Palestine” and “Free Mo Chara.” They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.

One member wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “We Are All Palestine Action,” referencing the direct-action network that targets arms factories supplying Israel.


The Open Crate: Meet the women protecting the Arab world’s artistic heritage

The Open Crate: Meet the women protecting the Arab world’s artistic heritage
Updated 07 July 2025
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The Open Crate: Meet the women protecting the Arab world’s artistic heritage

The Open Crate: Meet the women protecting the Arab world’s artistic heritage

BEIRUT: What’s the point of owning a beautiful collection — whether art or collectibles — if there’s no proper way to showcase or preserve it?

This question lies at the heart of The Open Crate, a platform designed to help collectors digitize and preserve their collections. Founded by art specialists Amina Debbiche and Nora Mansour, the company offers an inventory and archiving service that catalogs everything from fine art and furniture to watches, books, and pens.

“People know exactly which crypto they have in their portfolio. But when it comes to art, they don't even remember the name of the artist on the wall,” said Mansour, a Lebanese finance expert turned art curator.

Debbiche and Mansour noted the urgency of digitizing art catalogues — especially in the Arab world.

“The thing with art, especially in our region of the world, is that it’s mostly held in private hands,” said Debbiche, a Tunisian art aficionado.

The privatization of artwork in a region with hotspots of instability makes the act of documentation a deeply political one: a means of preserving the unspoken victims of war — art.

To explain this, Mansour gave Arab News a hypothetical example: think of a Palestinian family in Jerusalem whose house is looted — if their artwork is documented, there’s proof it existed. It’s a map of what you own.

“It’s like our child, you know — it’s like having a baby together,” Mansour joked.

The child they created, The Open Crate, boldly and indirectly addresses an unspoken issue that has long plagued the region. Like any child, it has the potential to grow and carve out a name that its ancestors, and future generations, can be proud of.

 


Pakistani films Nayab and Deemak win top honors at SCO Film Festival in China

Pakistani films Nayab and Deemak win top honors at SCO Film Festival in China
Updated 07 July 2025
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Pakistani films Nayab and Deemak win top honors at SCO Film Festival in China

Pakistani films Nayab and Deemak win top honors at SCO Film Festival in China
  • Nayab wins Jury Special Award, Deemak Best Editing Award at 2025 event
  • Pakistan’s film industry has seen a creative resurgence in recent years

ISLAMABAD: Two Pakistani films, Nayab and Deemak, have won major accolades at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival in China, state-run news agency APP reported on Monday. 

The festival showcased 27 films from SCO member states, including China, Russia, Pakistan, India, and Central Asian countries. Organized to foster regional cinematic exchange, the event featured screenings, industry forums, a film technology expo, and a gala concert, with awards presented in ten categories.

The SCO Film Festival first launched in 2018 and is a cultural initiative of the multilateral bloc to promote cooperation in cinema and the creative industries among member countries. 

“Pakistani film Nayab and Deemak received prestigious ‘Jury Special Award’ and ‘Best Editing Award’ respectively at the colorful concluding ceremony of SCO film festival held at Chongqing, China,” Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Director of Pakistani movie, Nayab, Umair Nasir Ali (center) giving acceptance speech at the SCO Film Festival for the Jury Special award in China, in a picture shared by the director himself on social media on July 7, 2025. (Umair Nasir Ali/Instagram) 

Nayab, released in 2024, is a sports-drama centered on a young woman from Karachi, played by Yumna Zaidi, who aspires to become a professional cricketer despite intense family and societal opposition. The cast includes Fawad Khan, Javed Sheikh, and Adnan Siddiqui.

The film has previously won multiple awards, including Best Foreign Film and Best First-Time Filmmaker (Feature) at the World Film Festival in Cannes, and a Special Jury Diploma at the 30th Minsk International Film Festival.

“The cinema was packed, and what truly moved me was how deeply they engaged with the film,” Nayab’s director Umair Nasir Ali told APP after the film’s screen at the SCO festival. “They picked up on the layers, the emotional arcs and asked thoughtful, relevant questions that showed how closely they had followed the story.”

Deemak is a psychological horror film directed by Rafay Akbar Rashdi and starring Soniya Hussyn, Faysal Quraishi, Samina Peerzada, and Bushra Ansari. 

Screengrab of a reel showing director of Pakistani movie, Deemak, Rafay Akbar Rashdi (second left) receiving the best editing award for his movie Deemak at the SCO Film Festival held in China in a video shared on social media on July 7, 2025. (RafayRashidi/Instagram)

Set in an aging home haunted by unexplained phenomena, the film explores family tensions and mental trauma. It became Pakistan’s highest-grossing horror film when it released earlier this year, earning over Rs60 million [$211,173] in its opening week.

Pakistan’s film industry has seen a steady resurgence in recent years, with a new generation of filmmakers experimenting with genres from sports dramas to horror and social realism. 

Joyland (2022) became the first Pakistani feature to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section, and was later selected as Pakistan’s official entry to the Oscars. The country has also received two Academy Award wins in the documentary short category by filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. 

Meanwhile, The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022) set new box office records, becoming Pakistan’s highest-grossing film to date and finding global audiences with its big-budget, Punjabi-language action storytelling.


Lena Mahfouf shows off vintage gown in Paris

Lena Mahfouf shows off vintage gown in Paris
Updated 07 July 2025
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Lena Mahfouf shows off vintage gown in Paris

Lena Mahfouf shows off vintage gown in Paris

DUBAI: French Algerian author and YouTube star Lena Mahfouf attended Le Bal d’Été at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on Sunday in a vintage gown by Vivienne Westwood.

Other guests included Chanel ambassadors Keira Knightley, Kirsten Dunst, and Penélope Cruz.

Proceeds from the evening — an estimated $2 million — will go toward supporting the exhibition “1925–2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco,” which opens on Oct. 22.

French Algerian author and YouTube star Lena Mahfouf attended Le Bal d’Été at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris on Sunday in a vintage gown by Vivienne Westwood. (Getty Images)

Sofia Coppola was the artistic director for this year’s edition of the ball and she told Vogue that she “wanted to keep the theme of a summer ball and bring the garden inside … and I approached it the same way I would a party scene in a movie.”

Legendary French hostess Countess Jacqueline de Ribes, who was captured in an iconic 1980s photograph, served as Coppola’s inspiration, with the director telling Vogue “I love the way hostesses did things then — big dresses, big flowers, color — while still being elegant and refined.

“I loved the idea of pale pink inspired by the Chanel archives — kind of Ginger Rogers — and I always loved Karl’s shirt dresses. I hope it feels personal, like a celebration of Paris and an occasion to dress up surrounded by beauty, art de vivre, and the great work of all the artisans who participated,” she added.

Sofia Coppola was the artistic director for this year’s edition of the ball. (Getty Images)

The event kicks off Paris Haute Couture Week, which this season will see provocative Georgian showman Demna take a final bow after 10 years at Balenciaga. The fashion week, which began on Monday, will also feature a debut for Maison Margiela's new chief creative.

Demna, known for his daring work as well as controversies during his decade-long stint at Kering-owned Balenciaga, will unveil his final collection on Wednesday in what is expected to be one of the highlights of the week.

Not to be confused with Paris Fashion Week, Haute Couture Week takes place exclusively in Paris - in January for spring-summer collections and July for autumn-winter.

It is a uniquely French event dedicated to handcrafted, one-of-a-kind creations made to wear at red carpets, galas, and other high-profile events.

As usual, Schiaparelli opened Couture Week, followed later in the day by shows from Iris Van Herpen as well as Lebanon’s Georges Hobeika, among other labels.