Tuwaiq Sculpture event turns Riyadh streets into art gallery

A total of 30 pieces of rock sourced from the Tuwaiq area just outside of Riyadh will soon be transforming the city into a borderless art gallery under the hands of local and international artists. (AN photo by Abdulrahman Alshalhoub)
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Updated 23 January 2023
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Tuwaiq Sculpture event turns Riyadh streets into art gallery

  • Sarah Alruwayti told Arab News: “Sculpting has been in Saudi throughout history, it’s a traditional artform. What’s amazing about Tuwaiq Sculpture is that it gives you the chance to witness these stones being turned into works of art

RIYADH: Sculptors from across the globe will soon be transforming the streets of Riyadh into a borderless art gallery, using locally sourced stone from Tuwaiq, an area just outside of the capital, for the fourth edition of Tuwaiq Sculpture.

This year’s theme is “Energy of Harmony” and the artworks will be on display in Durrat Al-Riyadh from Feb. 5-10.

Sarah Alruwayti, Tuwaiq Sculpture manager, told Arab News: “Sculpting has been in Saudi throughout history, it’s a traditional artform. What’s amazing about Tuwaiq Sculpture is that it gives you the chance to witness these stones being turned into works of art.




From 10 am - 5:30 pm until Feb 2, visitors can access guided tours on-site to view the artists at work, live-sculpting raw blocks of granite and sandstone. (AN photo by Abdulrahman Alshalhoub)

“I used to see sculptures in museums and galleries as a kid, and I never believed that someone could actually carve these amazing, gigantic art pieces using their hands. I think it’s a great way to encourage the younger generation and to enhance (creativity) and the culture of sculpting as well.”

Curated by London-based Marek Wolynski creative producer, the event will feature bespoke, original designs by the artists and their assisting teams, created specifically for Tuwaiq Sculpture.

“Tuwaiq Sculpture intends to build bridges between tradition and modernity, and it’s a unique platform for people to meet, collaborate, exchange knowledge, and most importantly, create public artworks that will then inform the cityscape of Riyadh for generations to come,” Wolynski told Arab News.




Saudi artist Wafa Alqunibit uses Arabic calligraphy to present the 99 names of God proclaimed in the Islamic religion. In her artwork titled “Harmony,” the word “al-Samī,” meaning the one who listens, stands in curved letters, demanding respect in its mountainous granite form. (AN photo by Abdulrahman Alshalhoub)

From 10 a.m until 5:30 p.m. until Feb. 2, visitors can take guided tours to see the artists at work, sculpting raw blocks of granite and sandstone.

The finished large-scale artworks will eventually be distributed across the city, and are part of a venture to beautify Riyadh and enhance creative expression and dialogue under the Riyadh Art program, one of the largest public-art initiatives in the world

“The theme ‘Energy of Harmony’ really inspires artists to create iconic sculptures capturing those manifestations of introducing and witnessing transformative change. It’s all about mutual understanding. It’s all about the balance we all strive for in our lives,” Wolynski said.




In its fourth edition, Tuwaiq Sculpture symposium has hosted visual artists from all corners of the globe under the theme ‘Energy of Harmony,’ soon to present its outputs in an on-site exhibition in Durrat Al Riyadh from Feb 5-10. (AN photo by Abdulrahman Alshalhoub)

English artist Rob Good’s “Rain Stone” sculpture attempts to portray natural rainfall by juxtaposing the softness of clouds with the harshness of granite. He has used different hues of beige, purple and gray to symbolize a desert landscape. These are not clouds drifting on a sunny day, but rather ones foreshadowing a rainstorm.

Good has carved three wide stones overlapping each other to mimic the fluffy silhouettes of clouds. People will be able to interact with the sculpture, walking through its gaps, or simply sitting and contemplating the philosophy behind the work.

“This granite is beige, and it can go quite dark when it’s highly polished. But I will leave them quite roughly sanded so that they remain light until the rains come and make them wet. And then they will transform, so it’s kind of that extra kind of push for people to get out and enjoy them,” Good told Arab News.




Curated by London-based Marek Wolynski, the theme inspired bespoke and original designs handmade by the artists and their assisting team specifically for Tuwaiq Sculpture. (AN photo by Abdulrahman Alshalhoub)

“I love the idea that people can move through them and children can run around them and play. I suppose I’m into clouds at the moment (because) we attach a lot of symbolism to clouds.”

In her piece, “Harmony,” Saudi artist Wafa Alqunibit is using Arabic calligraphy to present the 99 names of God proclaimed in the Islamic religion. The word “Al-Samī,” meaning ‘the one who listens,’ stands in curved granite letters.

“My aim is to represent religion through art,” Alqunibit explained. “The challenge for this symposium is using granite, which is much tougher than alabaster or marble, but I used the point and empty spaces to create this name.”

“Lockdown Window,” by Italian artist Marino Di Prospero, challenges the idea of infinity through surrealism. Di Prospero’s block of brown granite will soon become a frame overlooking the surrounding environment. Twisting in on itself on such a large scale, the structure will make it impossible to pass through the “window,” just as many people were unable to leave their homes during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Aside from the public art on display, Tuwaiq Sculpture will also include workshops, panel discussions, school visits, and masterclasses ranging from beginner to intermediate levels.

Faris Al-Harmah will run a Traditional Door Art workshop, the Madain Center will stage an intermediate-level Wood Sculpting workshop, and elsewhere, visitors can learn about jewelry-making, sculpting using metal wire, gypsum-sculpting, and more.

Panel discussions will focus on the theme, “Preservation of Culture Through Art.” Guest speakers include Saudi architect Saleh Al-Hathloul, Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s Director of Arts and Culture Dalya Mousa, and Director of Performance Arts at the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts Dr. Samir Al Dhamer.

 


Saudi Arabia’s FM announces landmark visit to Lebanon

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks at the WEF in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)
Updated 21 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s FM announces landmark visit to Lebanon

  • The one-day trip on Thursday will mark the first visit by a high-ranking Saudi official to Lebanon since 2015
  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan welcomed the potential formation of a new government but emphasized the need for real reforms

DAVOS: Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Tuesday in Davos he would visit Lebanon later this week, the first such trip by a Saudi foreign minister in more than a decade.

He made the announcement during a panel on diplomacy at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss resort town. 

The one-day trip on Thursday will mark the first visit by a high-ranking Saudi official to Lebanon since 2015, after years of strained relations due to Lebanon’s perceived alignment with Iran, its role in drug smuggling to Gulf countries, and ongoing instability.

Prince Faisal described the recent election of a president in Lebanon, following a prolonged political vacuum, as a highly positive development.

He said the Kingdom welcomed the potential formation of a government but emphasized the need for real reforms and a forward-looking approach to ensure sustainable progress.

He reiterated that the future of Lebanon rested in the hands of its people, urging them to make decisions that steer the country in a new direction.

A UN peacekeeper’s (UNIFIL) vehicle rides along a street in Marjaayoun, Southern Lebanon January 20, 2025. (AFP)

“We will need to see real action, real reform and we will need to see a commitment to a Lebanon that is looking to the future, not to the past,” said Prince Faisal.

“And based on what I hear there and what we see, I think that will inform the Kingdom’s approach, but I have to say what I’ve seen so far and the conversations that we’ve been hearing in Lebanon, all allow me to be very much optimistic.

“We’ve always said, it’s really up to the Lebanese to decide and to make the choices to take Lebanon in a different direction.”

Prince Faisal also said he is “cautiously optimistic” about Syria’s future, citing encouraging signs from the new administration in Damascus and the resilience of the Syrian people.

He emphasized the need for patience and engagement from both the regional and international communities to help rebuild the country’s broken institutions and create a better future for Syrians.

“I would certainly say I’m cautiously optimistic. I may even lean further because you have, first of all, an administration that is saying the right things in private and in public, doing a lot of the right things, but also you have a Syrian people that are incredibly capable and incredibly resourceful,” he said.

He urged collaboration to build on recent positive developments, underlining the collective responsibility to aid Syria’s recovery, especially considering the willingness of the new administration in Damascus to engage constructively with regional and global partners.

“The reality is that they have inherited a broken country with no real institutions and they are having to build all of that from scratch, and that’s not an easy thing,” he said.

“So it’s up to us, I feel in the region first but certainly the international community, to engage, to come and build on this positive development and help Syria and the Syrian people see a much better future.”

Prince Faisal highlighted the importance of lifting the heavy burden of sanctions imposed due to actions of the previous regime, noting some progress with waivers from the US and Europe.

A boy carrying stacks of bread on his head walks past a damaged school in Aleppo, Syria January 21, 2025. (Reuters)

Prince Faisal was also positive about the region as a whole, including the Kingdom.

“We are certainly in a region that is abundant with risk factors, but we are also in a region that has huge potential,” he told the panel.

“I would say that even with the very difficult year behind us, we have shown that we can be resilient as a region and we can actually look to the future, whether it’s the Kingdom, or the GCC countries, and their ability to stay on track with their economic agendas,” he added.

He stressed the importance of avoiding conflict, particularly in light of tensions between Iran and Israel, and expressed optimism regarding the new US administration under President Donald Trump.

“I don’t see the incoming US administration as contributory to the risk of war. On the contrary, I think President Trump has been quite clear that he does not favor conflict,” he said.

“I hope that the approach will also be met on the Iranian side by the addressing of the nuclear program, by being willing to engage with the incoming administration in a way that can help us stay on track with this positive momentum.”

Also on the panel was Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, prime minister and foreign minister of Qatar, who expressed hope that the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas would bring much needed relief to the Palestinian people.

Qatar’s PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani speaks with WEF President and CEO Borge Brende during the annual meeting in Davos on January 21, 2025. (AFP)

“Let’s be hopeful (about the ceasefire). It’s still a long way to go with what happened throughout the last 15 months negotiating this very difficult conflict,” he said.

“It showed us that everything can be resolved through talks and through engagement, through negotiations, and we started this week with good news.

“We have seen the humanitarian aid coming in, we have seen hostages going back and we hope that this will be a fair system toward stability now.”


Saudi deputy minister meets newly appointed Bangladesh ambassador

Updated 21 January 2025
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Saudi deputy minister meets newly appointed Bangladesh ambassador

  • Al-Sati wished the ambassador success in his new role

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati met with the newly-appointed Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Kingdom Delwar Hossain in Riyadh on Tuesday.

Al-Sati wished the ambassador success in his new role, the Foreign Ministry posted on X.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom Anatolii Petrenko in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting they discussed bilateral relations and topics of common interest.

 


Saudi Shoura Council official receives Norwegian women’s rights ambassador

Updated 22 January 2025
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Saudi Shoura Council official receives Norwegian women’s rights ambassador

  • The pair discussed bilateral cooperation and explored several topics of mutual interest

RIYADH: Hanan Al-Ahmadi, assistant speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council, emphasized the positive impact of the Kingdom’s reform agenda in a meeting with Sidsel Bleken, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ambassador for women’s rights, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Al-Ahmadi, who provided an overview of the council’s legislative and oversight functions to the visiting diplomat, lauded the achievements of Saudi women across various sectors in the Kingdom.

The pair also discussed bilateral cooperation and explored several topics of mutual interest.

 


Unified database of official government policies on Arabic language launched

Updated 21 January 2025
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Unified database of official government policies on Arabic language launched

  • Project aims to offer valuable resource for academics, policymakers
  • Launch ceremony attended by distinguished experts from across region

RIYADH: A new unified database of official government policies on the Arabic language from 22 countries was launched on Monday.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman International Academy for the Arabic Language, in partnership with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, launched the Language Policy System Project in Arab States at ALECSO’s headquarters in Tunis.

The system has gathered language policy data from 22 Arab states, aiming to provide a resource that enables decision-makers, researchers, scholars and experts to undertake strategic linguistic work.

The project was developed in coordination with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science.

The launch ceremony attracted a broad range of linguistic experts, institutions and specialists in language planning.

It was also attended by representatives of Arab states in the organization and secretaries of national committees, with more than 50 attendees in total.

The collaboration between KSGAAL and ALECSO plays a key role in advancing initiatives to promote the Arabic language, safeguard its purity and underscore its profound cultural significance, according to Mahmoud Al-Mahmoud, head of the Planning and Language Policy Sector at KSGAAL.

A standout feature of the project is its compilation of more than 1,800 language policies from 22 Arab countries.

Furthermore, the project links these policies to various fields of language planning, greatly enhancing the overall value of the initiative, Al-Mahmoud added.

KSGAAL will provide access to the extensive dataset for researchers, enabling them to leverage the information in a wide range of studies focused on language planning across Arab countries, Al-Mahmoud told Arab News.

The project stems from the academy’s belief in the value of language planning, aiming to achieve its objectives through conducting and publishing studies and research, as well as issuing periodic reports on the state of the Arabic language and its indicators, Al-Mahmoud said.

“The project is distinguished by its strategic significance in influencing language decisions, internationally and regionally, as well as its leadership in terms of both scope and quality,” he added.


Saudi book club brings together readers and writers from around the globe

Updated 21 January 2025
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Saudi book club brings together readers and writers from around the globe

  • Al Jalees Book Club was founded in 2014 and has a presence in Riyadh and Jeddah
  • American poets, novelists and academics from the University of Iowa attended talk

RIYADH: Bookworms and aspiring writers alike were given space to explore their creative talent and learn from seasoned authors at Al Jalees Book Club’s “Writing Across Nations” dialogue session in Riyadh this week.

The club was founded in 2014 by Rana Hajjar, a Jeddah native who wanted to create a productive and welcoming community for local readers and writers.

“Al Jalees is my passion project, I started it because I wanted a space to fit in, a community that understands my interest,” she said.

Hajjar said that although the literary community has very much always been alive in Saudi Arabia, it was very difficult to find each other. So the main goal of the club was for her and others to feel less alone.

Elizabeth Willis, professor of poetry at the University of Iowa at Al Jalees Book Club “Writing Across Nations” dialogue session in Riyadh. (Supplied, Al Jalees Book Club)

Al Jalees has an English department, run by Hajjar in Riyadh, and an Arabic department, run by her sister Rabab, in Jeddah.

Hosted in collaboration with the US Embassy, writers from a wide range of genres and diverse backgrounds were encouraged to attend the “Writing Across Nations” discussion to listen to and engage with American poets, novelists, and academics eager to share the toolkits they have developed to hone their craft.

According to Tom Sleigh, a poet, dramatist and essayist with 11 books of poetry in his arsenal, a common mistake up-and-coming writers commit is comparing their style with that of other authors and trying to live up to those standards, when true talent and audience intrigue comes from the uniqueness one offers in one’s work.

“The idiosyncrasy with which each person approaches their relationship to language meant that there was a kind of utterly unapologetic relationship to writing differently than each other,” he said.

Echoing Sleigh’s words, Cate Dicharry, director of the Writing and Humanities Program at the University of Iowa, said that although she has always been an avid reader, writing seemed unachievable, partly because many of the writers she admired had passed on, creating an enigmatic image of the published author that seemed impossible to emulate.

Al Jalees Book Club hosts “Writing Across Nations” dialogue session in Riyadh. (Supplied, Al Jalees Book Club)

Dicharry also said that young, ambitious students are “reading really good work that is in its final form,” and getting very discouraged when their first drafts do not sound as advanced, creating a fearful cycle that dims potential rather than develops it.

Toxic comparisons aside, all panelists agreed that the key to becoming a great writer is to be a great reader.

Christpher Merril, director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, said that new writers will “fall in love” with a poet and begin imitating them, and if they are lucky enough, they will bore themselves and look for another poet to be encapsulated by.

“Bit by bit you fall in love with different poems (and poets) and then you find your way to writing your own poem,” he said.

In an interview with Arab News, Hajjar said that one non-fiction book everyone should read is “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers, a self-help book Hajjar uses to advocate for breast and ovarian cancer awareness and prevention.

The fiction book she recommends is “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck, a multi-generational novel that explores the struggle between good and evil through the interconnected lives of two families in California’s Salinas Valley.

Recalling his time covering the war in former Yugoslavia, in preparation for writing his book: “Only the Nails Remain: Scenes from the Balkan Wars”, Merril spoke about how writing first begins with observing, whether that means observing people’s behaviors or the settings around you.

“Part of your job as a writer is you are paying attention, you’re taking notes, and you’re trying to think: how is he doing that?”

Through writing comes understanding; even if situations seem unclear at first, write them down first and examine the chaos later, Merril said.

Al Jalees Book Club hosts “Writing Across Nations” dialogue session in Riyadh. (Supplied, Al Jalees Book Club)

Responding to a question from Arab News, Merril said: “I am not going to imagine that I am writing from a place of knowledge about myself, I am writing from a place of vast ignorance, with the hope that some lights might go off along the way.”

Elizabeth Willis, professor of poetry at the University of Iowa, emphasized that writing fiction or other literary forms and understanding yourself as a person are both lifelong practices, so do not make your craft wait for you or it will be waiting forever.

Sleigh said that the quiet that comes with writing inadvertently gives you the space and freedom to work through matters in your own life, mirroring Merril’s “through writing comes understanding external concept internally.

Al Jalees hosts large events every month and over the years they have accumulated more than 120 speakers to join their sessions in over 700 events.

Moving Al Jalees online during the COVID pandemic helped open it up to the rest of the world

“When a book club turns into a culture club, turns into a club where everybody intellectual is all around it, it is a very positive impact for you, for your children, for your family, for your friends, and then you make friends through the thousands of people that you meet,” Hajjar said.

Readers and writers of all levels and backgrounds, as well as those simply interested in the community, are welcome to join their events, she said.

“Language is not just words; it is a lifestyle.”

Al Jalees hopes to expand its Jeddah-based Arabic chapter to Riyadh in the upcoming months, as well as to expand the English chapter to biweekly events.