- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Jeddah Art Week underway in Saudi Arabia
- Date: 26th February 2013
- Summary: JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (FEBRUARY 25, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF AL FURUSYA BUILDING WHERE EXHIBITION IS BEING HELD ART WORK ON WALL BY CHANT AVEDISSIAN, ENTITLED ICONS OF THE NILE PLAQUE WITH INFORMATION ON INSTALLATION, AND PRICE AT AUCTION MORE OF ARTWORK/VISITORS LOOKING AT ART MORE OF ARTWORK SAUDI ARTIST RASHED ALSHASHAI NEXT TO INSTALLATION ARTWORK READING IN ENGLISH AND ARABIC: 'RASHED ALSHASHAI PRIVATE FOR ALL' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI ARTIST, RASHED ALSHASHAI, SAYING: '' The Art Week in Jeddah is a culmination of the tender years from the process made by the ancient arts. Today there is a generation of contemporary artists of a new age, who are coming out with a different language, a language close to interaction with the community and the individual. Tomorrow, god willing, tomorrow it will be a bright day for the city, and especially when it comes to art.'' INSTALLATION SHOWING WOODEN SHUTTERS WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHING PORTRAITS VARIOUS OF ARTWORK/PEOPLE LOOKING AT ART (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI ARTIST, AHMED NASSER, SAYING: ''The presence of Sotheby's in the Saudi market in Jeddah means they're focussing more on those who have acquired these works of art and concentrating more on the business from Saudi Arabia to abroad.'' MORE OF INSTALLATIONS PLAQUE WITH INFORMATION OF ARTWORK BY FARHAD MOSHIRI MORE OF PEOPLE AT EXHIBITION VISITOR SPEAKING TO SAUDI ARTIST NOAF AL-HEMAIRI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI ARTIST, NOAF AL-HEMAIRI, SAYING: ''The participation of women in art has been around for a long time, but recently there are a lot of educated and intellectual women wo have important views and things that they want to share with the community.'' MORE OF EXHIBITION/VISITORS (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOTHEYBY'S INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART SPECIALIST AND FOUNDER OF JEDDAH ART WEEK, LINA LAZAAR, SAYING: ''This is the first event of its kind and we are very very exited at Sotheby`s to be hosting it in Jeddah because Jeddah is probably the city in Saudi Arabia which is the most ready for a culture platform like Jaw (Atmosphere-the name of the exhibition).'' MORE OF ARTWORK PLAQUE WITH INFORMATION OF ARTWORK BY AYMAN BAALBAKI VARIOUS OF EXHIBITION/VISITORS
- Embargoed: 13th March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Reuters ID: LVAAA03UD4W5ZKT98YN6Z7ESC09O
- Story Text: Art enthusiasts were treated to a rare exhibition in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, as part of a cultural initiative known as Jeddah Art Week.
The event is organised by international auction house Sotheby's, featuring a variety of installation by artists across the region.
The exhibition, a first for Sotheby's in the country showcases art that will be up for sale in the Qatari capital Doha.
Sotheby's say there has been 'a real hunger' for an event of this kind in a country that is 'brimming with culture and history'.
Work by artists from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Morocco feature in this inaugural exhibition.
Rashed Alshashai is one of the artists, ''The Art Week in Jeddah is a culmination of the tender years from the process made by the ancient arts. Today there is is a generation of contemporary artists of a new age, who are coming out with a different language, a language close to interaction with the community and the individual. Tomorrow, god willing, tomorrow it will be a bright day for the city, and especially when it comes to art,'' said Alshashai.
Others spoke of the importance of Saudi art in the international scene, and said the presence of Sotheby's could propel it to the forefront of the artistic community, ''The presence of Sotheby's in the Saudi market in Jeddah means they're focussing more on those who have acquired these works of art and concentrating more on the business from Saudi Arabia to abroad,'' said another Saudi artist, Ahmed Nasser.
It isn't only male artists who feature here, women also have an important role.
Female Saudi artist Noaf al-Hemairi said women have always been on the scene, but there are more educated and worldly female artists now.
''The participation of women in art has been around for a long time, but recently there are a lot of educated and intellectual women who have important views and things that they want to share with the community,'' said Al-Hemairi.
Some of the work here is estimated to sell for thousands of dollars at the upcoming Sotheby's auction of contemporary art on April 22.
Sotheby's representative and Jeddah Art Week organiser, Lina Lazaar said the city can act as a cultural launchpad.
''This is the first event of its kind and we are very very exited at Sotheby`s to be hosting it in Jeddah because Jeddah is probably the city in Saudi Arabia which is the most ready for a culture platform like Jaw(Atmosphere-the name of the exhibition),'' said Lazaar as visitors looked at the installations.
One of the most celebrated works of art is that by Chant Avedissian, entitled Icons of the Nile, made using gold and silver acrylic paint on cardboard.
It's estimated to fetch between 1-1.5 million U.S. dollars.
Jeddah Art Week runs from the 25-27 February, the event will include workshops and the opening of a new gallery in the city. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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