The homecoming exhibition “We Need to Talk” will continue in Jeddah until Feb. 18, after which it will travel independently to various cities.
The exhibition, curated by Mohammed Hafiz and co-curated by Edge of Arabia founder Stephen Stapleton, is set in a stunning 1,000 sq. meter space in the Al-Furusia Marina, a magnificent new development along the Jeddah Corniche Road overlooking the Red Sea.
The founding director of Edge of Arabia commented: “This is a very important milestone for Edge of Arabia, and we are proud to be able to showcase some of the most talented Saudi artists in their home country. The exhibition has been greeted with great curiosity and enthusiasm, and we’re confident to be moving in the right direction.”
Edge of Arabia, the group behind the exhibition, has showcased Saudi artists' work around the world since 2008, with displays in London, Dubai, Venice, Istanbul and Berlin, but this is its first public show inside the Kingdom.
“I think a lot has changed in Saudi Arabia in the last four years and now is the right time for our exhibition. You should not force things,2012 is the right time in Saudi,” said Stapleton.
The exhibition, which opened last week, includes more than 50 works by 22 Saudi artists giving their views on the country.
Artist Ahmad Angawi brings the Saudi public into his work by installing microphones throughout various locations in Jeddah for his project, “Street Pulse.” Participants record messages into microphones and hear those left by others through headphones attached to his installation, hundreds of microphones bound together in the shape of an atom.
“It shows the various voices we have, all confined into one sphere. The idea behind it is, if we don't speak up, if we remain silent, if we keep putting our feelings aside, one day we will explode,” Angawi said.
With more than 900 visitors during the opening night, the exhibition features over 40 new works ranging from video to sculpture to installation by Saudi’s emerging artists, including Abdulnasser Gharem, Adwa Al-Mubarak, Ahaad Alamoudi, Ahmed Angawi, Ahmed Mater, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Effat Fadaag, Eyad Maghazel, Hala Ali, Hamza Serafi, Ibrahim Abumsmar, Jowhara Al-Saud, Maha Malluh, Manal Al-Dowayan, Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, Nasser Al-Salem, Noha Al-Sharif, Saddek Wasil, Saeed Salem, Sami Al-Turki, Sara Al-Abdali and Sarah Abu Abdullah.
To accompany the exhibition, Edge of Arabia will deliver an ambitious education program aimed to engage local school and university students in contemporary art from across the region. The program so far has included an art symposium held at the Chamber of Commerce; a dedicated 100-square-meter education room within the exhibition with workshop, presentation and research facilities for visitors; guided tours of the exhibition and practical workshops with participating artists for local school and university groups; and an internship program for local students.
Alongside the main exhibition, three key artworks from the Abraaj Capital Collection will be on display: Rhyme & Reason by Nazgol Ansarinia (2009), New Dream Machine Project by Shezad Dawood (2011), and Gon by Timo Nasseri (2011).
