JEDDAH: The 21,39 art exhibition turned the old, abandoned corners of the Pepsi Co. factory into a spectacular work of art through the sounds and colors of Taif’s rich culture on Friday. The event was to bring people together to celebrate and learn about the city.
“For us, old and abandoned is exactly what the Saudi Art Council looks for when it comes to activating and creating exhibitions because it may be dead for most people, but for us there is so much history here, and to have people come and visit is a rare opportunity,” Nada Sheikh-Yasin, manager at the Art Council, told Arab News when asked about the reason for choosing the location.
She explained that the event is new, and it is the last day the Pepsi Co. factory will hold an art exhibition.
The event sheds light on the history as well as the culture of Taif in different forms of art, from music and calligraphy to photography and virtual reality.
Locals and expatriates all gathered at the site to witness the event. “I think it’s a great event. We started off at the Saudi Art Council in Gold Moore, then came here tonight. It looks interesting and I highly recommend that everybody attends,” said Nati Marvidis, who attended the exhibition.
The event took off to the beautiful sound of the Oud (musical instrument), through the live performance of Sa’ad Al-Atif and his group. People enjoyed the music very much, clapped their hands, sang along and expressed their affiliation with Taif’s heritage.
Artist Sa’ad Al-Atif explained that the sound of Taif’s music is different from any other musical sound in the Kingdom. It has sounds specific to the city of Taif.
Taghreed Wazna, photographer and attendee, said: “It is the first time we have an event dedicated to the people of Taif, their culture, tradition and lifestyle. The rose factory was presented in a new and creative way by artist Hassan Mabrook. Many people here in Jeddah have no knowledge of the rose factory, and how they make rosewater and rose oil.”
She added: ”I have also discovered amazing photographs taken by photographers from the Association for Culture and Arts in Taif. This event taught me so much about Taif’s architecture, buildings, traditional music and dances.
“I would like to thank the Saudi Art Council for cooperating with the Association for Culture and Arts in Taif and their manager, artist Faisal Al-Khudaidi,” said Wazna.
Saudi Art Council exhibition presents 'Jina Min Al-Taif'
Saudi Art Council exhibition presents 'Jina Min Al-Taif'
Riyadh exhibition brings Saudi and Chinese contemporary art into dialogue
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has announced that the Common Ground Festival, produced by Benchmark, will take place from Dec. 24, 2025 to Jan. 6, 2026 at Misk City, Riyadh.
The exhibition celebrates the Saudi-Chinese Cultural Year 2025 and 35 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Sigg Art Foundation presents “When the Wind Turns East,” a landmark exhibition as part of the festival, featuring works by more than 60 contemporary artists from Saudi Arabia and China.
Among the works on display are significant pieces from the Uli Sigg Collection composed of Chinese contemporary art and the Pierre Sigg Collection of Saudi contemporary art, alongside works from other important collections and directly from artists’ studios.
The Uli Sigg Collection, one of the most comprehensive assemblages of Chinese contemporary art in the world, chronicles the evolution of Chinese artistic practice from the late 20th century to the present.
Uli Sigg, former Swiss ambassador to China, began collecting in the 1980s, with much of his collection donated to Hong Kong’s M+ museum.
The Pierre Sigg Collection encompasses a large body of works, from Modern Art and Post War work to very young artists.
It also documents the dynamic evolution of Saudi artistic practice, capturing a generation of Saudi artists engaging with heritage, innovation, and contemporary identity.
Founded by Pierre Sigg, the collection represents a commitment to preserving and promoting Saudi contemporary art.
“For these two collections to contribute to this exhibition in Riyadh, at a moment celebrating Saudi-Chinese cultural exchange, feels like a natural evolution of what we have always believed: that art transcends borders and speaks a universal language,” Pierre Sigg said.
Among the 60-plus artists presented in “When the Wind Turns East,” these works from the Uli Sigg and Pierre Sigg collections exemplify the exhibition’s dialogue between Saudi and Chinese contemporary art:
From the Pierre Sigg Collection (Saudi artists): Nabila Abuljadayel — The Kiswa, Threads of Faith Crafted in Silk; Manal Al-Dowayan — The Emerging VIII, acrylic on natural linen; Lulwah Al-Homoud — The Language of Existence Series – Al Qudous, mixed media archival paper; and Rashed Al-Shashai — Brand 5, lightbox and mixed media.
From the Uli Sigg Collection (Chinese artists): Gao Weigang — Mountainside, oil on canvas; and Xue Feng — Domains, oil on canvas.
These works, alongside pieces by more than 55 other artists, span painting, textile, photography, sculpture, mixed media, and light-based installation, reflecting the extraordinary diversity of contemporary practice in both artistic communities.
“When the Wind Turns East” is the art centerpiece of the Common Ground Festival, a multidisciplinary cultural celebration exploring Saudi-Chinese exchange through visual arts, performing arts, culinary traditions, and craft demonstrations.
