For someone like Razan Adel Almohasen who has always been intrigued by and interested in art, her creative radar is permanently on. Even at what she phrased as “26 years young,” she still remembers art classes from her elementary school days as well as the projects she worked on. Although she was born and raised in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Almohasen attended Naseem International School in Bahrain for her middle and high school education. When it came time to attend university, Almohasen chose to study in the United States where she earned a degree in Digital Media Arts from the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego, California. Moving from southern California to the north, this Saudi artist is currently pursuing a Master in Arts from the San Francisco Art Institute.
As children often do, they share tall tales. When Almohasen was a child, her friend told her about watching a star fall from the sky unto a street near the local supermarket. Awe-stricken Almohasen immediately thought of how foolish her friend was for not taking the star with her. She envied her friend and wished she had witnessed this event instead, for she would not have wasted that opportunity, “I wouldn’t have missed that and I would have grabbed it for sure! So, I actually believed that stars could fit in your pocket.” This story led to forming a way of life for the budding artist. With this in mind, Almohasen has been reaching for stars ever since.
Although her work has not been exhibited in art shows outside of her schools, she is very enthusiastic about exhibiting in art galleries in the near future. Razan Almohasen paintings are poignant with a dash of quirkiness. Her installations are powerful and clever, and her digital art is inventive as well as complex. Her perspective is fresh and unique and generally focuses on positivity, nonconformity, imagination and sparkle. Almohasen shared with Arab News what inspires her, her reflections on Saudi art, and gives insight into her creative process and her philosophy.
What inspires you? In other words, what can initiate your creative process?
Many things in my daily life can trigger my creative process. It could be from something I see on my daily walks and my interaction with my surroundings. Or it could be from watching a movie, or reading the news. And finally, of course looking at other artists’ work is always an inspiration.
Your work can be intricate and intense like with your digital art and installations, and your paintings and photography are uncomplicated and whimsical, which medium do you feel allows you to create most freely?
I enjoy taking bits and pieces from my thoughts that are gathered from my external space and mix it with my internal world to create a project. I do not have a specific comfortable medium, I like to challenge myself by using different mediums to have a wide variety of choices before completing the project, and then choose the one that I feel is more compatible with the “final” idea. For example, I could start a project with a photograph, but it ends up being a soft sculpture installation; the project could take different ground.
Who has been your biggest supporter; describe your support system?
Of course my parents have always been my backbone, supporting my dreams. However, in the past year or so, my fiancé has been running the clock, jumping through hoops of ideas with me, and constantly pushing me to execute more and more projects.
What are your thoughts on Saudi artistic community, and more specifically (as a Saudi woman and artist) on women’s presence in it?
I grow more and more impressed with what the Saudi artists have been doing and accomplishing. There is a great art movement happening, especially with the involvement of social media, you could become your own curator.
Do you have advice for anyone considering following an artistic academic or career path?
Community is built on individuals, and I find it important that each individual works hard and stays focused on what makes them happy. It is necessary to have a unique perspective, so that we can have a diverse cultural environment. My motto is: You can fit stars in your pocket!
With one hand reaching for the sky and the other making space for stars in her pocket, Razan Almohasen is set on her path with her own distinctive vision as her navigation. Her pieces are available to view on her Behance account (https://www.behance.net/Razancoco) or by searching her name. Also, her Instagram account (@rizz.coco) is a plethora of her original and brilliant work. A glimpse into her world is worth your while.
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Email: [email protected]
Razan Almohasen: Fitting stars into her pocket
Razan Almohasen: Fitting stars into her pocket
Swiss artist pays homage to heritage in Riyadh show
- ‘From Roots to Vision’ by Vlad Pocol is inspired by Saudi Vision 2030 and his own personal journey
RIYADH: In Ahlam Gallery’s latest solo exhibition, Swiss painter Vlad Pocol examines the ties that link past, present and future — with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 as a reference point.
“If you could explain your artworks in one word, what would it be?” one listener asked. “Intuition,” Pocol replied, explaining the basis of his first show in the Kingdom.
The artist relied on intuition when he decided only a few months ago that Saudi Arabia would be his new home, leading him to create an exhibition based around three ideas: heritage, transition, and vision.
The immersive exhibition titled “From Roots to Vision: A Migration” urges observers to think about heritage, and challenge the possibilities of the future as we weave our past legacy for generations to come.
Pocol told Arab News: “It’s great to evolve, but it’s also important to stay rooted in our own heritage. I’ve taken Saudi Arabia as an example. Everyone is so excited with what’s happening with the Vision (2030), but everyone is still so rooted and respectful and inspiring in a collective way … that can also inspire us in an individual way.”
Within the “Heritage” collection, “Identites” delves into the themes of self-reflection and outsider perceptions. Four papier mache panels woven together by rope encourage the viewer to see alternative versions of themselves as they are layered in complexity with oil paint.
It is great to evolve, but it is also important to stay rooted in our own heritage.
Vlad Pocol, Swiss artist
“Legacite” is a series of six artworks that explores the themes of circularity, continuity, and generational cycles. In a single dot, each painting prompts a reflection on the viewer’s part within these continuous loops.
The highlight of the show, “Sans Fin,” is a mirage of moving images constructed by strokes of paint. The piece is inviting, yet mysterious, prompting us to question our capability to grow using the metaphor of a black hole — you never know what may lie in the unknown.
In 2018, when Pocol was a lawyer, he was invited by a colleague to a workshop centered around recreating the work of a contemporary artist. After an accident that resulted in a damaged painting, he developed a technique to repair the artwork.
“My technique gives structural movement. When you see my paintings, you enter a world … it’s moving. My energy also comes up in the artwork,” he said.
In “Transition,” the works invite viewers to consider what lies beneath the surface, with more sculptural works coming into play.
Another installation is made of discarded materials salvaged from artwork waste. What we deem as undesirable is turned into something valuable, and even beautiful, challenging us to reconsider sustainability practices and our role in global consumption.
In the “Vision” collection, the artist’s optimism about the future is linked to the promise of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
His work “Dessen” is based on a childhood memory of winning his first drawing contest, and celebrates the impact of early creative expressions on future artistic development.
While “Elles” is a tribute to femininity and the women in his family, nearby twin works are inspired by the artist’s migration from Romania to Switzerland.
Pocol describes the green-colored “Ja Deu Tu Certo” as “one of the most personal” works in the collection.
“Any pieces I’ve offered to my mom have been green because I really believe in the power of healing and the green (color). My mother has been fighting metastatic cancer for two years now,” he said. The work conveys his belief that “she will be well.”
He said the color also holds significant meaning in Saudi culture, as it stands for pride and patriotism.
Reflecting on showcasing his works in the Kingdom, Pocol said: “It’s so significant to have my exhibition here. While I have roots from Romania, 30 percent of my genes are Middle Eastern. Being here in Saudi Arabia is very subconscious. I feel at peace, like I’m coming back to something.
“I’ve traveled a lot in my life and it’s the first time I’m able to find a new home outside of Switzerland … once you follow your intuition, it gets you to whatever is meant for you. That’s why I’m here in Saudi Arabia. It’s meant to be.”
The exhibition will run until June 2.
Irish performer ‘cries’ after Israel reaches Eurovision final as UK venues cancel watch parties
Bambie Thug, Ireland’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, claims to have cried after Israel qualified for the final to be held on Saturday.
“It is a complete overshadow of everything, goes against everything that Eurovision is meant to be,” Bambie Thug told journalists ahead of the event at Malmo Arena in Sweden. “I cried with my team.”
The 31-year-old singer and songwriter wore a keffiyeh and carried Irish flags while urging the European Broadcasting Union to show “conscience” and “humanity.”
The artist will perform “Doomsday Blue” in the final.
Israel’s performer, Eden Golan, will present her song “Hurricane” at the competition. The track underwent revisions after the initial version, “October Rain,” was deemed too political by the EBU.
Although the contest’s motto is “united by music,” this year’s event has attracted protests from Palestinians and their supporters, who say Israel should be excluded because of its conduct of the war in Gaza.
Thousands of people are expected to march for a second time this week through Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to demand a boycott of Israel and a ceasefire in the seven-month conflict.
In Finland, a group of about 40 protesters stormed the headquarters of public broadcaster YLE on Saturday, demanding it withdraw from the song contest because of Israel’s participation.
Venues across England are canceling their gigs after Palestine protest groups instructed their followers to pressure pubs showing the contest - leading some venues to close due to staff safety concerns.
The Duke of York cinema in Brighton called off its Eurovision event this week, telling ticket holders it was doing so “due to safety concerns for our staff and customers,” the Guardian reported. The Brighton Palestinian Solidarity Campaign called the decision a “massive win.”
AlUla to have starring role in ‘Motor City’ to be filmed in Saudi Arabia
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s AlUla is expected to have a starring role in director Potsy Ponciroli’s upcoming action thriller “Motor City.”
Production is due to start on July 10 in New Jersey and Saudi Arabia. The film is part of production company Stampede Ventures’ 10-picture slate deal with Film AlUla.
The cast will include Alan Ritchson, Shailene Woodley, Ben Foster and Pablo Schreiber.
“Motor City” is centered around John Miller (Ritchson), a Detroit auto worker who loses everything, including his girlfriend (Woodley), after being framed by a local gangster (Foster) and sent to prison.
After his release, Miller seeks revenge while trying to win his former girlfriend back.
Louvre Abu Dhabi to exhibit Van Gogh artwork
DUBAI: Louvre Abu Dhabi is set to display an artwork by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh at the “Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances” exhibition running from Oct. 16 to Feb. 9 next year.
The work, “Bedroom in Arles,” depicts van Gogh’s bedroom in his yellow house in Arles, where he set up his studio and lived from September 1888.
The exhibition will be curated by Jean-Remi Touzet, conservator for paintings at the Musee d’Orsay, and Jerome Farigoule, chief curator at Louvre Abu Dhabi, with the support of Aisha Alahmadi, curatorial assistant at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
It will delve into the period known as post-impressionism, focusing specifically on the years between 1886 and 1905. “These two decades were a time of immense artistic innovation and experimentation, marking the transition from impressionism to the explosive emergence of the ‘fauves’ at the Salon d’Automne,” a press release said.
Highlights from the Arab world include two masterpieces by French Egyptian artist Georges Hanna Sabbagh: “The artist and his family at La Clarte” (1920) and “The Sabbaghs in Paris” (1921).
Singer Elyanna makes her TV debut on ‘The Late Show’
- Chilean Palestinian star performs hits from debut ‘Woledto’
- Proudly adorned with Palestinian keffiyeh around her head
DUBAI: Chilean Palestinian singer Elyanna made her television debut this week on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
The 22-year-old music sensation delivered a medley of hits from her debut album “Woledto,” including “Callin’ U (Tamally Maak)” and “Mama Eh,” the first song performed entirely in Arabic on the show.
Her performance featured an ensemble of oud, tabla, riq and dancers.
“I had so much fun performing on this iconic stage,” she wrote to her 1.2 million followers after her show.
The hitmaker was adorned in a white lace dress featuring two thigh-high slits. She complemented the attire with coin-belt accessories, draping them over her shoulders and fastening them around her calves to add a Middle Eastern touch to her look.
In one of the pictures she shared with her fans, she proudly wore the Palestinian keffiyeh around her head as she posed in front of “The Late Show” desk.
Elyanna dropped her album in April. It features nine songs: “Woledto,” “Ganeni,” “Calling U,” “Al Sham,” “Mama Eh,” “Kon Nafsak,” “Lel Ya Lel,” “Yabn El Eh” and “Sad in Pali.”
Before releasing the album, she wrote to her Instagram followers: “This album is the embodiment of pride to be an Arab woman, to be from Nazareth, to be from the Middle East.”
“This is the closest I’ve been to where I come from,” she added. “The only feature on my album is my grandfather.”
The Los Angeles-based singer’s music is a mix of Arabic and Western beats, which she attributes to her multicultural upbringing.
Elyanna has been normalizing Arabic lyrics in the Western world throughout her career, taking inspiration from artists including Lana Del Ray and Beyonce, as well as Middle Eastern legend Fayrouz.
In 2023, Elyanna became the first artist to perform a full set in Arabic at California’s Coachella music festival.
She embarked on a North American Tour this year, gracing stages in Dallas, Houston, Toronto, Montreal, Washington, New York, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco and Santa Ana.
