Riyadh art exhibition puts senses and spirituality on display
From paintings, Arab calligraphy to artwork that comes to life on your phone, artists celebrate holy month
Art took over the luxury fashion mall Centria this Ramadan with a display of works from 33 artists in the Kingdom’s capital.
Saudi designer Amar Alamdar curated the exhibition under the theme “Senses and Spirituality” to show the true values of the holy month from the perspectives of the featured artists.
Visual artist Meshal bin Diran uses brushes, paint and pens as tools to immortalize his emotions. “I went back to the definition of spirituality that I resonate with, which is prayer and all its elements of reverence, serenity, concentration and cleanliness. It’s very integrated as a spiritual environment,” he told Arab News. Salama Hassan, meanwhile, is a self-taught artist who pushes the boundaries of Arabic calligraphy to the point where her work transcends a mere font and becomes conceptual.
Using characteristics of Chinese typography to shape various verses in the Qur’an, Hassan prompts the audience to contemplate the language and verses demanding that we look deeper into the meaning and placement of each letter.
The work of digital artist Mohammed Wahas shows a woman with two crows perched on her head. One is silent and the other is screaming. Using an app, viewers were able to move their phones over the painting, bringing the two birds to life, floating between serenity and despair.
In line with the concept of charity, one of the pillars of Islam, proceeds from the exhibition’s silent auction will be donated to the Ekhaa Charitable Foundation for Orphan Care. The exhibition, which ended on the 24th day of Ramadan, featured numerous works interpreting the notion of spirituality.