Princess Sara Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, chairwoman of Al-Nahda Philanthropic Society, addressed the crowd gathered for the opening of Nawafeth-Soglie, an art exhibition at the National Museum in Riyadh this week aimed at promoting the arts as well as Saudi-Italian cultural relations. The exhibition runs through tomorrow.
“We meet today to exchange the values of our culture and civilization, through the language that is comprehended by all: the language of art and creativity,” said the princess. “And to fi nd, through the work of our artists, means to tie and connect our Saudi and Italian cultural roots. This way, we will be exposed to the similarities that we share, and appreciate the points of deference, revaluing the diversity of human society and the nature of each nation.” The exhibition brought to the limelight the arts and crafts of 18 Saudi and 80 Italian ladies. The works presented underscored the individual levels that women enjoy in many aspects of life in both countries.
The exhibition had three categories that encompassed myriad works of artistic expression including weavings, jewelry, pottery, glasswork, traditional clothing, works of poetry and fi ction, perfume and photography. The culinary arts were also exhibited in the form of cooking and recipes.
The exhibition is based on two main ideas: The common basics of the exhibits and the comparison between the present and the past, and building bridges between the Eastern and the Western cultures.
The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information, Al Nahda Philanthropic Society and the Italian Embassy in Riyadh and is under the patronage of Princes Hessa Bint Trad Al- Shaalan, the wife of King Abudllah Bin Abdul Aziz.
