JEDDAH: British actress Emma Watson hit back at critics who said she betrayed her feminist ideals by posing for a revealing picture in Vanity Fair magazine where parts of her breasts were exposed.
Watson, the “Harry Potter” movie series co-star and pioneer of the HeForShe campaign to make men advocate for feminism, talked about the photo shoot for the magazine while promoting her latest film, the Disney live action “Beauty and the Beast.”
“It just always reveals to me how many misconceptions and what a misunderstanding there is about what feminism is,” she said in an interview with Reuters.
“Feminism is about giving women choice. Feminism is not a stick with which to beat other women with. It’s about freedom, it’s about liberation, it’s about equality.
“I’m confused. Most people are confused. No, I’m just always just quietly stunned,” she said.
The magazine’s photo shoot by acclaimed fashion photographer Tim Walker showed Watson in an open, white crocheted bolero jacket with no bra or shirt underneath.
“We’d been doing so many crazy things on that shoot but it felt incredibly artistic and I’ve been so creatively involved and engaged with Tim and I’m so thrilled about how interesting and beautiful the photographs were,” she said.
Actress Emma Watson says revealing photo does not undermine feminism
Actress Emma Watson says revealing photo does not undermine feminism
Ithra launches literary initiative in East Asia
- Ithra will be present at the Beijing International Book Fair, which will be held from June 19-23, and the Seoul International Book Fair, which will be held from June 26-30
- Participation is part of Ithra’s wider mission to promote cross-cultural exchange, raise awareness and foster understanding through knowledge-sharing
DHAHRAN: King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, will be present at two of the most prominent cultural events in Asia this summer.
The events are the Beijing International Book Fair, which will be held from June 19-23, and the Seoul International Book Fair, which will be held from June 26-30.
This participation is part of Ithra’s wider mission to promote cross-cultural exchange, raise awareness and foster understanding through knowledge-sharing.
This book tour will also launch the Mandarin and Korean versions of “Al-Mu’allaqat for Millennials,” a collection of 10 pre-Islamic Arabic qasidahs, or odes, each considered among the most important pieces penned by Arab poets of the 6th century.
The selection represents a shining example of early Arabic poetry. The book is intended to educate new generations about the social and philosophical values of those ancient poems.
Ithra Library will showcase its status as one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the Middle East and solidify itself as a world-class destination for readers from around the globe, offering a variety of resources and tools.
“Ithra is a cultural landmark not just in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but across the Arab World and the globe as well,” Tariq Khawaji, cultural advisor to Ithra, said.
“Our goal at BIBF and SIBF is to expand our reach and encourage greater collaboration, cultural exchange and knowledge sharing. Our presence here serves as a window into our offering, our country and our culture. We are excited to share and start conversations that lead to deeper understanding and continued positive cultural exchange.
“Last year, the Ithra Library had over 700,000 visitors. We successfully conducted more than 100 reading club sessions, 15 programs, and around 175 cultural sessions,” added Khawaji.
“Our library’s programs are not exclusive to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he continued. “Some of our initiatives now take place in seven cities across the globe and we are hoping to expand that further.”
The Beijing fair, now the second largest book fair in the world, attracts more than 2,600 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions every year.
The Seoul fair has been South Korea’s largest book fair for around 70 years and is considered an important platform in the publishing industry.
Ithra Library, housed within the headquarters of Ithra in Dhahran, is a four-story structure, covering more than 6,000 square meters, and is home to over 340,000 books in English and Arabic.
The library applies the latest technologies and tools, including RFID technology that streamlines book borrowing, as well as a smart book returning and sorting system. The library offers free internet, and supplies interested parties with computers for research and study purposes.
The first digitally integrated library in the Kingdom, Ithra’s Digital Library serves as a digital haven of over 50,000 free e-books and audiobooks available to book lovers from across the globe, as well as over 7,000 newspapers and magazines available in 60 languages.
Saudi artist Nada Halabi explores dreams through artwork
- Nada Halabi: I get a lot of inspiration from travel, so when I go to Europe, I love to visit old and contemporary museums to get ideas
- Halabi: I lose myself while painting, and sometimes I paint something, then paint something over the top of it if I’m not content, until I’m happy with the end result
RIYADH: Contemporary Saudi artist, Nada Halabi, is exhibiting her “Dreams Unveiled” collection at Ahlam Gallery in Riyadh from June 4-15.
“There’s a lot of dreams in these paintings,” Halabi told Arab News. “So, it’s like all the years accumulated with time and all my dreams, like sometimes I wake up at 5:00 a.m. and write down what I see, and when I wake up again, I paint.”
Some of her works are inspired by the Renaissance era, a period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” after the Middle Ages.
“I enjoy combining Renaissance art with a contemporary touch of flair, and I chose Renaissance characters because I believe their style at that era was exceptional, and they were the true artists, so I transformed some of them into contemporary art,” said Halabi, who enjoys experimenting with different styles, colors and sizes.
Many things have influenced Halabi’s work as an artist. She enjoys traveling to different museums and finds inspiration in historic places and things.
“I get a lot of inspiration from travel, so when I go to Europe, I love to visit old and contemporary museums to get ideas. Then, when I return to Saudi Arabia, I just paint nonstop because everything is so new on my mind,” she said.
Halabi’s works reflect her time-consuming process.
“I lose myself while painting, and sometimes I paint something, then paint something over the top of it if I’m not content, until I’m happy with the end result,” she said.
The artist has clients of all ages. Some of her clients are art collectors, while others own museums.
She studied fine art at the Academie Libanaise de Beaux Arts in Lebanon before relocating to London and then Los Angeles, where she received more guidance from a well-known American artist. She has trained at schools of art in the UK and the US, and exhibited her work in exhibitions and galleries in the Middle East.
In her current exhibition, there is a section dedicated to Lebanon — featuring newspapers and the neon words “Disconnected Roots.”
Halabi said: “I lived in Saudi Arabia longer than I did in Lebanon, even though I was born and raised there, and this artwork shows how many countries are connected yet at the same time are disconnected due to political conflicts.”
Inside Gharem Studio, the Saudi cultural ‘think tank’
- Founder Abdulnasser Gharem discusses the sweeping changes he has witnessed over his career as an artist in the Kingdom
DUBAI: There is perhaps no better person to ask about the magnitude of Saudi Arabia’s current cultural boom than Abdulnasser Gharem. Gharem has been creating art for decades, and has established himself as one of the Kingdom’s most acclaimed contemporary artists, despite the many obstacles he faced starting out at a time when there was really no pathway to becoming a professional artist from Saudi Arabia and most of those with a creative bent in the country were left with little choice but to pursue other careers.
“I was in the army for 23 years,” Gharem, 51, who comes from the south of the Kingdom, tells Arab News. “There was no way you were going to be an artist with an income in the late 1990s or early 2000s. Most of my friends and relatives were in the army, so it was a popular thing. I became an officer, just to make sure that I could earn (money), and art would be something I’d do on the side.”
Gharem also remembers how he discovered that two of his best friends from high school, raised in a strict environment, were part of the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001. “After high school, they just disappeared. We thought that maybe their parents moved to another city,” he says. “And suddenly I found their names in the list of the 19 hijackers. I was really shocked, because I was asking myself: ‘Why wasn’t it me?’ We were in the same neighborhood, the same school, the same environment, and had the same education. I think that’s why I became an artist: I was insisting that I wasn’t going to just rely on others. I just needed to create my own path.”
And that is exactly what Gharem has done over the past two decades. In 2003, he co-founded Edge of Arabia in London. The arts platform, which highlighted Saudi artists through touring exhibitions, became hugely influential.
A decade later, Gharem decided to set up his “own space” in Riyadh, which made him realize that there was a huge lack of support for the country’s up-and-coming generation of artists.
“I had the experience of establishing a studio, dealing with challenges, bringing in sponsors, and setting up programs,” he says. “I was shocked to see how young Saudi talents — boys and girls who were interested in fashion, art, photography, filming — didn’t have their own space.”
In Gharem Studio, young creatives from a variety of fields are invited to use Gharem’s library, art, filming equipment, the space itself, and — most importantly — to share ideas among themselves. He is much more than simply the founder of the studio, and has become a mentor to several young artists. He hopes that his non-profit arts organization can inspire self-expression and freedom of thought.
“It’s really fascinating for me. We have artists like photographer Haitham Alsharif who discusses gender issues, and the artist Halla Bint Khalid (the studio’s co-owner), who is looking into family and children,” he says. “So, it’s all related to society. It’s nice when you listen to issues from different aspects, ages and slices of society. The studio became a think tank.”
When Gharem Studio was launched, its artists flew abroad to experience art fairs in Europe and exhibited their own works in the UK and the US, traveling across 15 states. Gharem admits that in the beginning there were some hurdles to overcome, not just at home but overseas too.
“We were doing international shows, because contemporary art wasn’t accepted yet in Saudi Arabia,” he says. “It was honestly tough to sell Saudi art. Of course, now it’s different. Now the government is putting us on the cultural map of the world. We are living in what I call ‘a grant narrative,’ and that’s what we have been looking for since we were young. I can’t believe our dreams became true. Suddenly everything changed. We have two biennales in this country. We have Desert X and Noor Riyadh Festival. These kinds of cultural events have become part of people’s daily lives. They can spend time at the movies, in a restaurant or at a concert, or a biennale. The public sphere has become totally different.”
In early May, a selection of predominantly photographic works from Gharem Studio were displayed in an exhibition at Zidoun-Bossuyt Gallery in Dubai. This month, the studio will be moving to its new home in the cultural hub of JAX District in Riyadh. According to Gharem, there are also plans to establish a bio-art lab in the studio, where artists can explore environmental issues.
“Our mission,” he says, “is to bring something new to the artist and society.”
Jeddah university alumna’s film selected for Tribeca festival
- ‘Kum Kum,’ directed by Dur Jamjoom, has been chosen for the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York
- Jamjoom completed the film as her graduation project at Effat University in 2022
JEDDAH: Dur Jamjoom’s graduation film from Effat University, “Kum Kum,” has been chosen for the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
Founded by actor Robert De Niro, Tribeca is one of North America’s most important festivals. This year’s event began on June 5 and runs until June 16.
Jamjoom completed the film as her graduation project at Effat University in 2022. She said: “I’m incredibly honored and blessed to be the first Saudi female as part of the shorts program at the Tribeca Festival. This opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without my incredible team.”
The autobiographical film is deeply personal, centering on the untimely passing of Jamjoom’s best friend in 2012. Just 12 years old at the time, the tragic event introduced her to a range of unfamiliar emotions.
As the story unfolds, each person recounts the event from their own perspective. Jamjoom brings these diverse narratives together to form a cohesive story, highlighting the profound impact of one person’s suffering on the lives of others.
She said: “I was hesitant to delve into the memory of my friend who is no longer with us, fearing disrespect. But I realized I’m actually honoring my friend, who made me into the person I am today.”
During production, Jamjoom faced numerous challenges. “We shot the movie in the sea, but the waves were uncooperative, and many people were getting seasick,” she said.
“The underwater housing case for the camera posed unique challenges I had never encountered before. I had to trust my team and stay focused on directing.”
She hopes the film inspires audiences to see the light after darkness, emphasizing that “where there is grief, there can also be healing, and the transformative power of overcoming life’s challenges.”
Speaking about the film’s deeper meanings, she said: “In the movie, ‘Kum Kum’ serves as a traditional Saudi game that holds symbolic significance. The game metaphorically represents how life presents unexpected moments, and individuals must adapt to the changes. ‘Kum Kum’ explores the intricate connections between faith, suffering, resilience, and personal growth.”
Mohamed Ghazala, chair of the Cinematic Arts School at Effat University, expressed his pride and joy in celebrating this incredible achievement. He said: “Jamjoom, one of our finest graduates, has dedicated countless hours to honing her craft at our campus, passionately writing, filming, animating, directing, and documenting real stories.
“The selection of her graduation film for the esteemed Tribeca Film Festival is a tremendous honor for us and for Saudi Arabia as a whole. To be shortlisted from a pool of 8,000 submissions is a remarkable feat that showcases the incredible talent being nurtured within our institution. We are filled with optimism and enthusiasm as we look forward to witnessing more groundbreaking achievements from our talented students in the future.”
He added: “This remarkable accomplishment is a true testament to the impactful teaching at Effat University, empowering students with the strong tools necessary to bring their stories to life, captivating not only local audiences but also international viewers.”
Dates revealed for second Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
DUBAI: The Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s second Islamic Arts Biennale is scheduled to take place from January 25 to May 25, 2025, at the Western Hajj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
The event is the first and only biennial dedicated to the arts of Islamic civilization.
The first biennale was titled “Awwal Bait” and attracted more than 600,000 visitors. The second event in 2025 will continue its exploration of themes by showcasing historical artifacts alongside contemporary art, including site-specific installations.
The directors of the second event are Amin Jaffer, Julian Raby, Abdulrahman Azzam and Muhannad Shono.
Jaffer, whose academic and curatorial work is focused on the meeting of European and Asian cultures, will return to his role as director of the Al-Thani Collection.
Raby, a scholar and former lecturer in Islamic art and architecture at the University of Oxford, also served on the curatorial team of the first Islamic Arts Biennale.
Azzam, an author and historian, served as senior adviser to the Al-Madar exhibition and forum during the first biennale.
Saudi artist Shono, whose work deals with questions of spirituality and the role of imagination in shaping reality, will serve as contemporary art curator.
The expanded curatorial team includes Masa Al-Kutoubi, Rizwan Ahmad, Heather Ecker, Marika Sardar, Joanna Chevalier, Amina Diab, Sarah Al-Abdali, Bilal Badat, Faye Behbehani and Wen Wen.
With a total area of more than a 110,000 square meters, with 12,000 square meters of dedicated exhibition space, the biennale takes visitors on a journey through the objects, rituals, ideas and aesthetics that constitute Islamic arts in all its forms.
The Western Hajj Terminal has been repurposed as a cultural venue by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.
The site holds deep significance for Muslims around the world, as millions of travelers pass through the airport each year to make the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Makkah.
