PARIS: Original artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb are on display in Paris in an exhibit celebrating the centenary of the discovery of the most famous pharaoh’s treasures.
Some items are returning to Paris more than 50 years after a similar exhibit attracted 1.24 million visitors, a record that still stands for the French capital.
Organizers say more than a third of the artifacts are leaving Egypt for the first and last time before going to a new museum being built near the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.
Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, about 3,400 years after his death.
The exhibit “Tutankhamun, treasures of the golden pharaoh” is on view at Paris’ Grande Halle de la Villette from March 23 to Sept. 15, the second stop on a 10-city international tour.
Treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb on display in Paris
Treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb on display in Paris
- Some items are returning to Paris more than 50 years after a similar exhibit attracted 1.24 million visitors
Athr Foundation fosters creativity with Bait Shouaib open studio
- Bait Shouaib offers an immersive and supportive environment, fostering creativity and cultural exchange among the rich heritage of its surroundings
- During the residency, artists learned about the Al-Balad district from the perspective of a local inhabitant, resulting in studio presentations and site-specific installations
JEDDAH: The Athr Foundation has launched the first open studio at Bait Shouaib, an artists’ residential program located in the heart of Al-Balad.
Bait Shouaib offers an immersive and supportive environment, fostering creativity and cultural exchange among the rich heritage of its surroundings.
During the residency, artists learned about the Al-Balad district from the perspective of a local inhabitant, resulting in studio presentations and site-specific installations.
One artist, Badr Ali, told Arab News: “My memories of Al-Balad were from childhood, where my mom warned me of its rough and dangerous nature. Coming from Germany, I took a hiatus from art and decided to join this residency for inspiration. I was struck by the district’s homogeneity and outdated toys, sparking research on their intended audience. These toys, originally meant for Umrah migrants, now seem out of touch with today’s tech-savvy kids.”
He added: “Through my art, I explore the irony of these toys in a district that has undergone gentrification. My painting highlights the decay of mass-produced toys, using glitter and embellishments to emphasize the contrast between superficial esthetics and inherent quality issues. This residency in Jeddah has been a unique experience, different from my previous ones in France, Germany, and the UK. The cultural nuances and art scene in Saudi Arabia have presented new challenges and inspirations for my work.”
The intimate perspective offered by the artists has deepened their understanding of Al-Balad’s rich cultural heritage. The night-time festivities during Ramadan added an extra layer of enchantment.
Artist Tamara Kalo said, “This residency program has been really inspiring. I feel like there are so many things I wanted to do and not enough time. But, also, that’s the beauty. Maybe it’s like you get to explore little bits and pieces of things that are inspiring, then you do what you can and it still opens doors for other things in the future.”
On her artwork, she said: “The bedspace is a realm of the subconscious, holding tensions of dreams and nightmares, comfort and discomfort. By intertwining my body with a green ribbon on the bed frame, I create a cage-like enclosure for imaginative safe space. The green screen material offers infinite representation possibilities, blurring the line between material and immaterial through video overlay. This references the virtual world as a collective subconscious that interrupts our rest. The roshan-turned-camera work brings the public into private space by capturing direct light reflections.”
And Abdulla Bahiji’s innovative approach to reimagining the urban landscapes of Jeddah and the Hejaz region involved transforming concrete blocks into biodegradable incense burners infused with scents and flora.
Reflecting on his experience as a newcomer to Al-Balad, he said: “As a first-time dweller in Al-Balad, I found myself captivated by its essence, enveloped in a rich tapestry of scents ranging from Jawi bakhoor to fish, oud to meat. These fragrances not only altered my perception of time but also served as tangible markers of the city’s evolving narrative. Investigating the history of Al-Balad, I uncovered the remarkable resilience of the local businesses as they transitioned from traditional to medicinal products, showcasing the city’s adaptability.”
The curator of the open studio, Alana Alireza, said: “In my role I oversaw the coordination of two artists and a researcher to cultivate a harmonious and collaborative workspace. This led to the creation of a reflective essay inspired by my time in Al-Balad, exploring the themes of scent and nostalgia.”
Bait Shouaib, hosted by the Athr Foundation offers a transformative experience for artists worldwide. The four-week residency provides a fully equipped studio space and facilitates cross-cultural dialog, heritage exploration, and artistic development.
Meet Abdullatef Alrashoudi, the Saudi baker making it big in Paris
- The former surgeon turned Cordon Bleu graduate incorporates flavors from his homeland into his high-end bakes
LONDON: Five years into his medical career, Saudi surgeon Abdullatef Alrashoudi hung up his stethoscope for the final time.
It was the morning of his 30th birthday, and an offer had recently landed in his inbox from Le Cordon Bleu, the prestigious Parisian culinary school that has trained luminaries from American chef Julia Child to Mary Berry, one of the original judges on “The Great British Bake Off.”
Now 34 and running his own café in one of Paris’ trendiest neighbourhoods, Alrashoudi looks back on that email as a turning point in his life.
“It was the biggest gift,” he says. “Baking had always been my dream, and medicine was showing me it was not the right path.”
After the switch, which he admits left his hospital colleagues “shocked,” Alrashoudi’s career has gone from strength to strength. Nine gruelling months studying bread dough, baking and boulangerie techniques led to spells working in leading Parisian restaurants — and finally to a place of his own.
LÂM — which combines Alrashoudi’s nickname ‘Latif’ and ‘âme’, the French word for ‘soul’ — has been open for just over six months, but is already welcoming a steady stream of regulars through the doors.
The airy, mineral green-fronted space sits opposite a bubble tea shop and art gallery in a “hip, up-and-coming” neighbourhood just off the French capital’s Place de La République.
In the window, a hand-built La Marzocco machine from Italy, in the same vibrant green as the Saudi Arabian flag, churns out rich cups of coffee from the high-end Parisian brand Coutume.
These aromatic brews are accompanied by delicate counter bakes that fuse traditional French techniques with enticing Middle Eastern flavours — the nutty richness of tahini, the sweet crunch of pistachios, the fragrant allure of rose.
Alrashoudi, who hails from the date-rich province of Al-Qassim but grew up in north Riyadh, explains that, instead of a cinnamon roll, the café serves a black-lemon version inspired by the Saudi dessert klēja, made with soft brioche dough, honey, and biscuit.
Other inventive options on the menu include zaatar and feta buns, bakes mixing chocolate and cardamom, plus a tahini cookie, for which he uses the classic French technique of burned butter to add “a deeper flavour”.
Since opening in September, LÂM has quickly become a popular spot. While most patrons are “local to the street,” Alrashoudi, who is fluent in French, is hopeful that the coming months will bring more Khaleeji visitors — especially in the run-up to the Olympics, which will be hosted in the city this summer.
But before millions of visitors from around the world descend on Paris for a month of sporting action, Alrashoudi is focusing on getting through Ramadan, with fasting hours in the French capital running from around 5.30 a.m. until 7 p.m. this year.
To mark the holy month, he is serving Saudi dates with every coffee, and plans to continue that after Ramadan finishes because it is “working really well” with customers.
And while you can take the baker out of Saudi, you can’t take the generous spirit of Saudi out of the baker. In keeping with the principles of hafawa (hospitality), Alrashoudi holds back a cup of coffee every night for a fasting Tunisian restaurateur working next door.
Alrashoudi has already become known in the neighborhood as ‘the Saudi chef’ and his customers are “always asking” about his homeland — particularly the cultural transformation that has swept through the Kingdom in recent years under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030.
The young baker credits much of his success to those changes. It was the Crown Prince’s own Misk Foundation that granted him a scholarship to study at Le Cordon Bleu alongside a group of other young Saudis, who have since gone on to lead kitchens in the Kingdom and beyond.
“When I was growing up many people did not know about Saudi, but in recent years that has changed,” says Alrashoudi, who acknowledges that LÂM is one of a small number of Gulf culinary spots around the world positively influencing perceptions of the region.
But despite growing representation of Khaleeji culture on the global stage, for most people Arabic cuisine still predominantly conjures images of Levantine dishes such as shawarma, hummus, and falafel.
This is reflected in the culinary landscape of major cities, with TripAdvisor figures revealing that London and New York City combined have only one Saudi Arabian restaurant, despite hosting hundreds of Lebanese and Egyptian eateries.
Alrashoudi believes this needs to change, particularly at a time when diners are increasingly interested in broadening their horizons.
“The government has been trying so hard to have people come and visit Saudi Arabia and to export our culture,” he says. “It’s where I am from and I love it — now it needs to be experienced by the world.”
Abdullatef Alrashoudi’s orange saffron muffins
Ingredients:
200g sugar; zest of 2 oranges; 2 medium eggs; 105ml olive oil; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 300g all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; a generous pinch of salt; 60g almond flour; 120g buttermilk; 120ml orange juice; 20g sugar; a pinch of saffron
Instructions:
1. Mix 200g sugar with the orange zest until the mixture is fragrant and the sugar is slightly moist — this helps release the oils from the zest, packing a punch of orange flavor.
2. Crack the eggs into the sugar-zest mixture. Whisk vigorously until fully combined. Then add the olive oil while whisking. You want it all emulsified, giving your muffins a beautiful, light texture. Then add the vanilla essence.
3. In another bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and almond flour together.
4. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the egg, oil, and zest mixture. Gently fold everything together — just enough to combine.
5. Fold in the orange juice and buttermilk. The mixture should now look golden. In a separate bowl, mix 20g sugar with the saffron to sprinkle on top of the muffins.
6. Spoon the batter into muffin tins. Sprinkle with the saffron-sugar mix. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 10-15 minutes, or until the muffins are golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Oman reveals artistic team headed to Biennale Arte 2024 in Venice
DUBAI: The Sultanate of Oman has announced that its national pavilion at the 60th La Biennale di Venezia, or Biennale Arte 2024, will be titled "Malath-Haven" and will be curated by Alia Al-Farsi.
Set to run from April 20 to Nov. 24, 2024, the display in Venice will showcase new artworks by Omani contemporary artists Dr. Ali Al-Jabri, Essa Al-Mufarji, Sarah Al-Olaqi, Adham Al-Farsi and Alia Al-Farsi herself.
In line with the 2024 Biennale’s curatorial theme "Foreigners Everywhere," the artists will present a body of work that captures the essence of Oman's multicultural legacy.
Sayyid Saeed Al Busaidi, Undersecretary for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture, said in a statement: “We are delighted to return to this enchanting city for the second time, showcasing the rich artistic heritage of our nation. Our presentation will spotlight a diverse collection of contemporary artwork created by talented Omani artists.
“Additionally, the Ministry is committed to fostering artistic development nationwide through various programs aligned with the Venice Exhibition. The participation of the Sultanate of Oman in the International Art Exhibition holds significant importance within the framework of intercultural dialogue and human interaction diversity. As a platform renowned for its celebration of global artistic expression, the Biennale Arte offers Oman a unique opportunity to showcase its rich cultural heritage and artistic innovation on an international stage.”
Curator Al-Farsi added: “The four chosen artists representing the Sultanate of Oman at the 60th International Art Exhibition have each made noteworthy and commendable contributions to their communities, effectively revitalizing the contemporary art scene in Oman throughout their careers. Their impact extends beyond their artistic endeavours, serving as inspiration for new generations of artists.”
Hollywood-loved composer Hans Zimmer adds second concert date in Dubai
DUBAI: Hans Zimmer, the multi Academy Award-winning Hollywood film music composer, will perform at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena on not one but two dates.
In addition to his much anticipated show on May 31, Zimmer has announced a second concert date on June 1.
Zimmer’s musical legacy, marked by the creation of memorable movie scores, secured him two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards, along with nominations for three Emmys and a Tony.
With an impressive repertoire, he has composed the music for movies like “Interstellar,” “The Dark Knight,” “Gladiator,” “Top Gun Maverick,” “The Lion King,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and most recently “Dune” and “Dune: Part 2” — among other iconic movies.
“I am immensely grateful for the warm embrace Dubai gave to my music during our first performance in the city. I firmly believe that music has the power to transcend language and resonate with the deepest emotions within us,” Zimmer, who also performed in the emirate last year, said in a statement.
Hilarious Habibis are championing Arab comedy in the US
LOS ANGELES: Hilarious Habibis, one of the first standup comedy platforms to be founded and presented by Middle Eastern women in the US, aims to give Arab comedians a leg up in the competitive stand-up scene.
Founded by Lynn Maleh and Gena B. Jones, the group aims to create a community and an opportunity for Arab audiences and presenters to engage with, and create, comedic content.
“It gives a chance for maybe a middle-experienced comedian to headline for a change or a smaller comedian who doesn't get to do shows at the Hollywood Improv to do a club for a change. So we just get them to level up on our show,” said writer and comedian Maleh.
Since 2016, Hilarious Habibis had grown from a small community of friends at the Hollywood Improv into a bona fide stand-up showcase. The group has performed at festivals including the New York Comedy Festival, SF SketchFest, and the Netflix Is A Joke comedy festival.
“You know, a lot of people, more than ever, right now are looking for Arab representation, Arab comedy. We think our show is really relevant to the world right now and what they want to see,” said Jones.
“We always have a good chunk of non-Arabs, other people of color who are not Arab, who come to see the show, who really love it. And it's cool that there's different parts of the community who really want to see Arab comedy,” she added.
Hilarious Habibis has also hosted major comedians like Bassem Youseff and Maz Jobrani, as well as Egyptian comedian Salma Hindy, who is set to join the voice cast of Ramy Youssef’s upcoming Amazon animated show, “#1 Happy Family USA.”
“I think building community, especially among Arabs in the West, is extremely important during this time and period, and especially in an industry where we're extremely underrepresented … it's very important for Arabs to rise up, make it known that we're Arab, take up space, reclaim our stories and our identities and not apologize for being who we are,” Hindy said.