How museum partnerships are enriching Saudi Arabia’s art and culture scene, boosting its creative economy

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla is fast becoming a regional capital for arts and culture, hosting major events like the Performing Arts Festival. (Supplied)
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Updated 26 July 2023
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How museum partnerships are enriching Saudi Arabia’s art and culture scene, boosting its creative economy

  • The Kingdom’s forthcoming contemporary art museum in AlUla will feature artworks on loan from the Centre Pompidou in Paris
  • The new museum is part of AlUla’s Journey Through Time Masterplan and the Vision 2030 agenda to invest in art and culture 

ROME: Saudi Arabia is expanding its cultural horizons, and encouraging its own artistic renaissance, by opening new exhibition spaces and establishing partnerships with some of the world’s most prestigious galleries and museums.

The Kingdom’s upcoming contemporary art museum in AlUla, for example, has signed a deal with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, as part of which the French museum will lend international artworks to the Kingdom.

Designed by Paris-based Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, the new museum is assembling a permanent collection of works that includes pieces by Saudi and international artists.

Among those artists whose works have already been added to the collection are Yayoi Kusama, Etel Adnan, Ibrahim El-Salahi and Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan.




Lina Ghotmeh and Asif Khan. (Luke Walker)

The core collection at the museum will focus on works by artists from the regions around the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The deal with the Centre Pompidou is just one of several new partnerships between the Kingdom and international creative institutions.

“The contemporary art museum in AlUla will develop its future programs in dialogue with several museums and institutions around the world,” Nora Aldabal, executive director of Arts Alula, Royal Commission for AlUla, told Arab News.

“We are delighted that the Centre Pompidou will be one of our first partners.”

The art venue in Paris is due to close between 2025 and 2030 for a major refurbishment. Aldabal made it clear, however, that the new museum in AlUla “will not be a satellite of the Centre Pompidou” but a fully independent gallery space.




Nora Aldabal, executive director of Arts AlUla, Royal Commission for AlUla. (Supplied)

In line with the Vision 2030 social reform and economic diversification strategy, the Kingdom aims to build a creative economy that encourages the nation’s men, women and young people to pursue their talents in the arts.

Deals such as the one struck with the Centre Pompidou are intended to enhance the dialogue between Saudi Arabia and other nations through art and culture, while also developing the domestic Saudi art scene.

“Museums in general are essential for the development and growth of critical thinking,” Candida Pestana, contemporary art museum manager, told Arab News. She was formerly chief curator of contemporary art at Ithra, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, in Dhahran.

“Cultural investment is crucial for opening interesting discussions for the new generations and is a way to mark the history of this time.

“The art scene accompanies those changes by creating creative production platforms and a space for innovative dialogues, feeding into a young crowd that is eager to learn and contribute.

“Museums are vital for creating cultural discourses and implementing advanced and original content in a country with fast transformations.”




Candida Pestana, manager of contemporary art museum in AlUla. (Supplied)

In May, at the opening of the Venice Architecture Biennale, Iwona Blazwick OBE, curatorial lead for contemporary art museum, Royal Commission for AlUla, said the museum’s partnership with Centre Pompidou would provide training opportunities for aspiring Saudi curators.

Blazwick, a former director of the Whitechapel Gallery in London and now chair of the Royal Commission for AlUla’s Public Art Expert Panel, said the agreement would also include loan exchanges between the institutions’ respective collections.

Blazwick added that the collection held by the contemporary art museum will shine the spotlight on works from the Global South, including the frequently underrepresented regions of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Another cultural institution that is coming to AlUla, which was announced in May, is the Museum of the Incense Road, designed by London-based British architect Asif Khan. It and the contemporary art museum are the first of 15 cultural assets planned as part of AlUla’s “Journey Through Time Masterplan.”

FASTFACTS

  • The contemporary art museum in AlUla will feature Saudi and international works.
  • Curators say its collection will place the spotlight primarily on underrepresented works from the Global South.
  • It is among 15 cultural assets that will make up AlUla’s “Journey Through Time Masterplan.”

The expansion of the Saudi cultural scene, both locally and internationally, and the cultural regeneration of AlUla serve to further solidify the Kingdom’s unique sense of identity and celebrate its heritage, said Aldabal.

At the same time, they offer “unparalleled opportunities for local communities to experience art as a source of education and enrichment, while also creating a platform to celebrate established artists and rising stars from Saudi Arabia and across the region.”

She added: “AlUla aims to develop a thriving creative economy that serves as a source of economic and physical revitalization.”

None of this is being imposed on the local population of AlUla against its will. The Royal Commission has engaged with communities every step of the way, creating business and employment opportunities while taking care not to disrupt established traditions and practices.

“Local community participation is a key component of delivering RCU’s mandate,” said Aldabal.

“This is achieved through several projects, including the participatory design workshops in collaboration with Madrasat Addeera and the craft school in Al-Jadidah cultural district, which sustains precious artisanal skills such as palm weaving, jewelry, textiles, pottery and geometry, with a pipeline to the retail economy.”

Madrasat Addeera, which is located in the bustling Al-Jadidah Arts District and was AlUla’s first arts and design center, offers weekly workshops for the local community and visitors.




Al-Jadidah Arts District. (Royal Commission for AlUla)

While the core mission of this community project is to teach local women a range of traditional skills and handicrafts, it also organizes workshops so everyone can learn them. They span all types of traditional crafts, such as jewelry making, embroidery and ceramics, including those historically part of AlUla’s traditions.

The workshops are run by the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, an organization founded by Britain’s King Charles III in 2006, when he was the prince of Wales, with the aim of reviving traditional crafts around the world to help support sustainable local economies.

The goal is for AlUla to become “a place created by and for artists,” as highlighted by the mandate of the Royal Commission, said Aldabal.




Design Geometry of the Stars workshop in 2022. (Supplied)

Ongoing exhibitions and projects with the direct involvement of artists include an annual artist’s residency program, founded in 2021, that has already welcomed 26 multidisciplinary artists.

They include Saudi artists Muhannad Shono, Rashed Al-Shashai and Ayman Zedani, the Saudi architectural collective Bricklab, along with works by international artists such as Monira Al-Qadiri, a Kuwaiti citizen based in Berlin, and Ben Elliot from France, among others.

“They pursue their artistic endeavors through experimentation in the unique and rich setting of AlUla,” said Aldabal.

Saudi contemporary artists are already playing an important role in cultural projects in AlUla. One example of this is Desert X AlUla, the inaugural event of which took place in January 2020.

Another is Wadi AlFann, or “Valley of the Arts,” of which Blazwick is a curator. The project aims to become a new global destination for contemporary art, where era-defining works by some of the most compelling artists from around the world will be permanently installed against the backdrop of AlUla’s breathtaking landscape. The Saudi artists involved in the project include Ahmed Mater and AlDowayan.




Jim Denevan’s Angle of Repose at Desert X AlUla 2022. (Supplied)

New works being created specially for Wadi AlFann include AlDowayan’s labyrinthine installation “Oasis of Stories,” which is inspired by the mud walls of AlUla’s Old Town. The walls of her artwork will be inscribed with personal histories and folklore she gathered from communities in AlUla.

Mater said his new work, “Ashab Al-Lal,” will explore the mythic space between subjective imagination and objective reality by generating a mirage among the sand dunes.

Projects such as these, combined with the development of new museums, aim to contribute to the emergence of AlUla as a domestic, regional and global cultural hub, created by and for artists.

“The contemporary art museum in AlUla has been implementing vital research to understand the needs of its community, not only in its content but also in its design and planning,” said Pestana.

“Museums are being created considering the gaps, the interest, and the fundamental role of a cultural institution in AlUla and the region. This museum aims to perform, advocate for its people, and contribute and align with the Kingdom’s plans and vision.”

The architecture of the contemporary art museum and the Museum of the Incense Road will be in harmony with the natural environment and heritage of AlUla, and wider Saudi Arabia, offering a way to celebrate the Kingdom’s natural heritage while also providing the impetus for international creative dialogue.




AlUla Oasis landscape. (Royal Commission for AlUla)

In May, Ghotmeh, the architect designing the contemporary art museum, said it will “immerse visitors in a creative journey from the desert expanse to the lush cultural oasis of AlUla, interweaving the natural environment, agriculture and art to reveal the heart of contemporary culture.”

It will achieve this through a series of garden pavilions that present a constant interplay between art and nature designed to capture “the essence of this unique place,” she added.

AlUla is not the only part of Saudi Arabia that is enjoying a flurry of cultural investment. The Red Sea Museum in Jeddah, for example, is due to open soon.

“Black Gold,” a permanent exhibition in Riyadh dedicated to artists’ interpretations of the story of oil, is scheduled for completion by 2024. It will offer a narrative of the history of oil, from prehistoric times to the present day, through more than 200 works of contemporary art.

It will be inaugurated in partnership with the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center at its headquarters in Riyadh.

Through its development and promotion of homegrown exhibitions such as these, and by placing artistic spaces at the heart of its transformation plans, the Kingdom appears to be well placed in its efforts to become a regional hub for art and the creative industries.

 


Saudi, Bahraini officials review King Fahd Causeway expansion plans

Updated 6 sec ago
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Saudi, Bahraini officials review King Fahd Causeway expansion plans

MANAMA: Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef and his Bahraini counterpart, Lt-Gen. Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, conducted a joint inspection on Thursday of the King Fahd Causeway connecting the two kingdoms.

The officials were welcomed by Eastern Province Deputy Gov. Prince Saud bin Bandar and Suhail Abanmi, who heads both the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority and the causeway’s board of directors.

During the tour, Prince Abdulaziz and Sheikh Rashid reviewed ongoing development projects, focusing on expanded processing facilities and increased capacity measures designed to enhance cross-border travel efficiency, in line with Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council guidelines.

The 25-km long King Fahd Causeway is a series of bridges and causeways connecting AlKhobar in eastern Saudi Arabia and Al Jasra island in Bahrain. It was constructed in 1981 and opened to traffic in April 1985.

 


First AlUla World Archaeology Summit Symposium 2024 unearths past for the present and future

Updated 01 November 2024
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First AlUla World Archaeology Summit Symposium 2024 unearths past for the present and future

ALULA: Antiquity came alive here at the first AlUla World Archaeology Summit Symposium 2024 titled “Moving Forward: Past, Present and Future in the Archaeology and Heritage of Mobile Communities.”

Held on Oct. 30 and 31, it was organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla and is a part of the new biennial series aimed at fostering global dialogue among experts in archeology and cultural heritage.

This year’s symposium provided a platform for in-depth discussions on the interactions between mobile and settled communities, with participants sharing global research, case studies and best practices.

The event took place at Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, which has 9,740 glass panels reflecting AlUla’s desert and landscape.

Built in 2019, Maraya has become an iconic part of AlUla’s cultural scene, hosting concerts, exhibitions and events that showcase both modern and traditional Saudi Arabia culture.

It was the perfect place to quite literally reflect on the past, while living in the present and looking to the future.

Reflecting on the symposium’s theme of mobility, organizers also addressed the global experience of halted movement during the recent COVID-19 global pandemic.

The theme of this year’s symposium encouraged critical examination of past and present mobility, from prehistory onward, as people have moved for various reasons; to access scarce resources, adapt to environmental pressures and respond to socio-political instability.

Speakers from six continents gathered to discuss topics including trade, commerce, climate change and conflict — all of which have shaped mobile communities throughout history.

The symposium highlights included keynote addresses by Willeke Wendrich from the University of California, Los Angeles, Stefano Biagetti from Pompeu Fabra University, UNESCO’s Peter DeBrine, and Khalid Alasmari from King Saud University.

Attendees visited archeological sites in Khaybar and Tayma and participated in panels and workshops focused on Saudi Arabia’s expanding role in archaeology.

Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, vice president of culture at the RCU, spoke about AlUla’s unique heritage in light of the symposium, describing itas‘a crossroads for connection, cultural and knowledge exchange.’ (Supplied)



In addition, the symposium program featured a new, specially-curated showcase of recent archaeological discoveries in AlUla, along with a preview of a world-first exhibition that will include artifacts from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli in Italy.

Ekhlass Al-Qananweh, who holds a doctorate in Northwest Semitic epigraphy, expressed delight at attending the symposium.

“I have a deep interest in antiquities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and journeyed here from Jordan to the architectural marvel that is Maraya to attend this gathering of the sharpest minds in the world of archaeology,” she told Arab News.

“In addition to the talks, I look with keen interest at the extremely qualified upcoming generation of archeologists — many of whom are in attendance — and I’m particularly interested in the vital participation of Saudi women in the field of archeological studies and in managing heritage and preserving it.”

During an Arab News interview, Adam Ford, cultural-heritage content expert at the royal commission, emphasized AlUla’s global significance and why it was chosen as host of the symposium.

“It is the World Archaeology Summit — it’s not an AlUla Summit. We want the world to come to us to discuss the world,” he said.

“The local community should be regarded as research partners with us,” he said, reiterating the RCU’s commitment to involving indigenous populations in preserving their heritage and amplifying it worldwide.

Ford also shared personal insights on the continuity of human experience across millennia. “We stand on the shoulders of giants … millions of actions and decisions and mistakes made by people of the past all culminate to now.”

He said that “although we will never meet these people,” their stories and choices continue to shape humanity’s present, emphasizing a universal pattern to endure, overcome challenges and pass on knowledge to future generations.

Certainly, if the lands could speak, they would echo stories that date back thousands of years when Lihyanite and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.

Today, AlUla contains lush oases, mountains and ancient heritage sites — as well as a thriving modern society. The best-known location in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A 52-hectare ancient settlement, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean kingdom. It comprises more than 100 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.

In addition, AlUla is home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan, which is considered to be one of the most developed cities of the first millennium B.C.E. in the Arabian Peninsula.

There is also Jabal Ikmah, an open-air library with hundreds of inscriptions and writings, which has been listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

AlUla Old Town, a hodgepodge, labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes, dotted with small businesses developed from at least the 12th century, was selected as one of the world’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by UN Tourism.

Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, vice president of culture at the RCU, spoke about AlUla’s unique heritage in light of the symposium, describing it as “a crossroads for connection, cultural and knowledge exchange.”

“Today, AlUla is one of the world’s most active areas for archeological exploration, with over 30,000 areas of archeological interest identified and more than a dozen active research projects,” he said.

“We established this event to become a progressive and leading platform for dialogue and collaboration, holding the first gathering in 2023 with an alternate format of symposium one year and summit the next.

“We are already laying the groundwork to build on the momentum of this event and for AWAS 2025.”


How AI and fintech are redefining the banking landscape in Saudi Arabia

Updated 31 October 2024
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How AI and fintech are redefining the banking landscape in Saudi Arabia

  • Generative AI in banking is enabling personalized services, predictive analytics, and faster customer support
  • Saudi fintech leader MOZN is driving the financial AI transformation through its platforms FOCAL and OSOS

RIYADH: The financial industry is undergoing a seismic transformation, with artificial intelligence and fintech reshaping everything from regulatory compliance and customer experience to counter-fraud measures.

Across the globe, banks are adopting generative AI and machine learning to drive innovation, reduce costs, and enhance security. Saudi Arabia is emerging as a key player, with local tech companies like MOZN spearheading change.

Speaking to Arab News, Mohammed Alhussein, MOZN’s founder and CEO, highlighted the “enormous improvements in how financial institutions offer their services to customers” over the last decade.

“There are more products that reach more people. Those products are better, faster, and are being offered online,” he said. At the same time, however, the growth of online banking services has also “opened the door for fraudsters.”

Banks are rapidly integrating AI for a host of benefits, including predictive analytics, automated compliance, and fraud detection.

A key driver is the need for real-time, data-driven insights. The ability of AI to analyze vast amounts of data quickly is transforming how banks assess risk, manage assets, and engage with customers.

For instance, AI has enabled high-speed trading and personalized customer services by leveraging machine learning to identify individual preferences and optimize service offerings.

Shutterstock illustration image

AI’s predictive capabilities also allow for better risk assessment, making it easier for banks to anticipate and mitigate potential financial risks.

Generative AI is also playing a significant role in areas like customer service and product development.

In the banking sector, it powers “intelligent banking” systems that enhance customer experience by summarizing customer conversations and improving support agent responses.

It also assists advisers in retrieving essential product information quickly, thereby reducing the response time and elevating service quality for clients.

Furthermore, AI-driven tools are automating compliance processes, making it easier for banks to adhere to evolving regulatory standards, potentially saving financial institutions from costly penalties and reputational damage.

DID YOUKNOW?

• Saudi fintech leader MOZN has driven financial AI transformation through its platforms FOCAL and OSOS.

• Generative AI in banking is enabling personalized services, predictive analytics, and faster customer support.

• Banks leverage AI-driven fraud detection systems, identifying transactional anomalies in real time.

• MOZN was recently listed among the Top 250 Fintech Companies globally by CNBC and Statista.

With online banking services expanding, banks face an increased risk of fraud. AI is essential in developing sophisticated fraud detection systems that can identify anomalies in real time.

For example, fintech platforms now monitor large volumes of transaction data to identify potentially fraudulent activity instantaneously, helping mitigate risks before they escalate.

“Everything is digital. This means that financial institutions must now make identity-related decisions in real-time,” said Alhussein. “AI is really good at identifying anomalous behavior analysis patterns and doing it really quickly.”

MOZN founder and CEO Mohammed Alhussein highlighted the “enormous improvements in how financial institutions offer their services to customers” over the last decade. (AN photo/by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

Advanced AI-driven compliance systems are also evolving. These systems are designed to constantly adapt to regulatory changes and identify emerging threats.

The automation of regulatory compliance processes allows banks to operate more efficiently, focusing on growth without compromising security.

Such systems are critical in Saudi Arabia, where financial institutions are expanding their services rapidly to keep up with the country’s Vision 2030 goals of a diversified, innovation-driven economy.

MOZN’s flagship compliance platform, FOCAL, is a prime example of AI in action, tailored to combat financial fraud through a unique blend of real-time identity verification and anomaly detection.

Mozn announced its FOCAL Anti-Fraud product at Saudi Arabia's LEAP 2023 tech conference at Riyadh Front Expo Center. (Supplied)

FOCAL actively screens and analyzes both customer and transactional data, immediately flagging suspicious activity that may indicate fraud or compliance breaches.

“We work with the financial sector specifically on one challenge, which is navigating and protecting against the risks of financial fraud,” said Alhussein.

“FOCAL is an AI-powered risk and compliance platform that financial institutions use to help protect their assets and their customers’ assets.”

MOZN has also developed OSOS, a generative AI platform specifically designed for Arabic language users.

MOZN's generative AI platform Osos is specifically designed for Arabic language users. (Supplied)

As Arabic content on the web grows, OSOS provides a culturally relevant solution, handling Arabic linguistic nuances and serving enterprises across the region.

Equipped with anti-hallucination features, OSOS minimizes bias and enhances accuracy by training on a diverse, balanced dataset. This feature is crucial as it ensures outputs are relevant and reliable, which is especially important for business and regulatory contexts.

“In developing OSOS, two of the main cornerstones of the values we are adding are minimizing both bias and hallucinations,” said Alhussein.

“OSOS has performed exceptionally well in different benchmarks that we’ve tested, and we’re very optimistic about where this is going.”

MOZN’s advancements have not gone unnoticed. The company was recently listed among the Top 250 Fintech Companies globally by CNBC and Statista — a testament to its influence in the fintech industry.

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This achievement underscores the company’s success not only in technology but also in meeting the specific needs of financial institutions in the region.

By achieving a 350 percent increase in customer acquisition since 2022, MOZN exemplifies the upward trajectory of Saudi fintech.

MOZN office in Riyadh. (AN photo/by Abdulrahman bin Shalhoub)

Its success reflects a broader regional trend of fintech growth, as countries in the Middle East and North Africa increasingly embrace digital transformation in banking, and advances in AI across all sectors and industries.

“The future of AI in Saudi Arabia is extremely exciting,” said Alhussein.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to be a company born in Saudi Arabia and to witness the amazing transformation happening in the country, specifically regarding technology and artificial intelligence.”
 

 


King Salman, crown prince offer condolences to Spain following deadly flooding

Updated 31 October 2024
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King Salman, crown prince offer condolences to Spain following deadly flooding

  • The flash floods, which occurred late Tuesday and into Wednesday, have claimed at least 158 lives

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have extended their condolences to King Felipe VI of Spain in the aftermath of catastrophic flash floods that have ravaged the country’s southeastern region, resulting in extensive loss of life and leaving many unaccounted for.

In separate cables to the Spanish monarch, both Saudi leaders expressed heartfelt condolences and deep sympathy to the Spanish people, the families of the victims, and those affected, offering their hopes for the safe return of the missing.

The flash floods, which occurred late Tuesday and into Wednesday, have claimed at least 158 lives, with 155 fatalities recorded in the Valencia region alone.

Spain, which has endured nearly two years of drought, saw its hardened ground unable to absorb the intense rainfall, causing severe flash floods that left vehicles and buildings inundated.

Search and rescue operations continued on Thursday as crews combed through stranded cars and flooded homes for victims.

“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” Spain’s Transport Minister Oscar Puente stated earlier, as the death toll spiked from 95 on Wednesday night.

Authorities warn that more victims may still be discovered as rescue efforts proceed.


Saudi and Bahraini interior ministers inspect upgrades on King Fahd Causeway

Updated 31 October 2024
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Saudi and Bahraini interior ministers inspect upgrades on King Fahd Causeway

RIYADH: The Saudi Minister of Interior and his Bahraini counterpart visited the King Fahd Causeway on Thursday to inspect ongoing developments aimed at improving transit efficiency between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

During the visit, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud and Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa received briefings on various projects by the King Fahd Causeway Authority, including plans to expand procedure zones and increase the crossing’s capacity, Saudi Press Agency reported.

These upgrades align with directives from the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council to streamline travel between the two nations.

Additionally, the ministers reviewed newly implemented passenger lounges for public transportation users and the prepaid toll routes, which have successfully reduced toll gate waiting times to under 15 seconds.

The improvements are part of broader efforts to enhance travel experiences for the growing number of people using the causeway.