DUBAI: The KAEC International Jazz Festival kicks off Thursday in Juman Park in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Economic City. The two-day event boasts an impressive lineup of major regional and international artists.
Thursday night is headlined by the extraordinary French nu-jazz trumpeter Erik Truffaz — widely hailed as one of the, if not the, best in the world.
Truffaz has pushed the boundaries of his instrument, hopping between genres including hip-hop and rock. He collaborated with Lebanese indie band Mashrou’ Leila on their 2014 track “Bahr.”
Also performing on Thursday are Saudi jazz-fusion band Min Alriyadh, acclaimed Lebanese oudist Charbel Rouhana, Grammy Award-winning American saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and four-time Grammy winner McCoy Tyner, a pianist who made his name with the John Coltrane Quartet.
Friday sees Candian jazz guitarist Jesse Cook headlining. Cook, 53, is a multiple-award-winning musician and composer based in France, who has sold over 1.5 million records worldwide. Joining him on Friday’s bill are Jeddah-based covers band The Bright Side, Grammy Award-winning American guitarist Al Di Meola, US singer and guitarist Raul Midon, and the excellent Palestinian oud virtuosos Le Trio Joubran — three brothers who recently collaborated with ex-Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters on “Supremacy,” a response to US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Saudi welcomes stellar lineup at KAEC Jazz Fest
Saudi welcomes stellar lineup at KAEC Jazz Fest
At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership
- Local artist channels personal hardship into works that reflect Jazan’s identity, heritage
- Jazan: A Nation and a Prince, places region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi
RIYADH: At the Ahad Al-Masarihah pavilion at Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s paintings blend memory, place and personal history, offering visual narratives shaped by beauty and hardship.
A novelist and visual artist, Al-Asiri has long used art as a storytelling tool. After a near-fatal car accident in March 2024, her work took on a new urgency. Bedridden for 11 months, cut off from the public world for more than a year, she describes that period as one of the most painful in her life — yet also transformative.
“First of all, praise be to God for granting me life, as the accident was extremely severe,” she said. “By God’s grace, I was given a new life. All my thinking after the accident was about becoming an inspiration to others — about enduring pain and obstacles, and still leaving an impact.”
Her return to public life came in 2025, when she participated in National Day celebrations with the ministry of interior. By the time she arrived at Jazan Festival, she was ready to channel that experience into her art.
The centerpiece of her display, “Jazan: A Nation and a Prince,” places the region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor and deputy governor of Jazan respectively.
Visitors linger over the details: the painting incorporates coffee beans, sesame and khudair — materials drawn from local products.
“I wanted people to recognize these products immediately,” she said. “They are part of Jazan’s daily life, and using them makes the work more tangible, more connected to everyday experience.”
The painting sparks conversation. Visitors discuss leadership, identity, and the intimate relationship between people and their environment.
Beyond the central piece, Al-Asiri presents individual portraits of the two princes, expanding the dialogue into a broader exploration of heritage and memory.
Her journey into art is tied to her life as a storyteller. Early experiments with charcoal and pencil evolved into abstract art, drawn by its expressive freedom.
From there, she explored realism, surrealism, and eventually modern art, particularly pop art, which has earned her wide recognition in artistic circles. Her novels and media work complement her visual practice, earning her the title “the comprehensive artist” from the governor.
Yet what stands out most in this exhibition is how Al-Asiri’s personal resilience flows through each piece. Her experience of surviving a devastating accident, enduring months of immobility, and returning to the public eye informs every brushstroke.
Visitors sense not just her artistic skill, but her determination to turn life’s hardships into inspiration for others.
Walking through the pavilion, one can see it in the way she blends heritage symbols, southern landscapes, and scenes of daily life.
Each painting becomes both a document and a dialogue — a celebration of Jazan’s culture, a reflection on identity, and a testament to the power of human perseverance.
At Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s art is a quiet, persistent inspiration for anyone who pauses long enough to listen.
