Modern art in the Gulf | General cultural programme

May 17, 2024
May 18, 2024

May 17, Friday - May 18, Saturday, 2024

Hay Courtyard (ground floor) and Jameel Library (first floor) in Jameel District, Jeddah

Join us for a two-day symposium in Arabic that brings together leading Gulf artists, curators and researchers to explore the role of Gulf art collections in shaping contemporary art movements, with a special focus on the “Friends of Fine Arts Group” – their stories, visions, challenges and opportunities throughout the century. Twenty.

The series of discussions provides fruitful perspectives on the complexities of contemporary art history, and the influence of Gulf voices, identity, and aspirations in shaping artistic production and visual culture within a regional and global context.

In addition, the public program includes an archival display at Jameel Library entitled Friends of Fine Art: Glimpses from the Archive, which highlights pivotal moments from the art group’s activities through a selection of photographs, exhibition brochures, books, and magazine excerpts that reflect images Broader to the general public. The archival display will be open until August 15 in the beautiful neighborhood.

The program's target audience is academics, students, artists, curators, researchers, and the Jeddah community passionate about contemporary art history, cultural movements, and education.

The general program was developed in collaboration with writer and researcher Ghadeer Sadiq, winner of the first research grant from the Art Jameel Foundation: Mapping the Artistic Landmarks of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (1940-2000).

First day

Friday 17 May

Live courtyard

Ground floor

5PM

A welcome and introductory speech

Anas Qattan, Deputy Director and Head of the Education and Research Department

5:05 pm

introduction

Ghadeer Sadiq, writer and researcher

5:15 - 6:45 p.m

Discussion panel: A tour down the paths of memory: Stories of friends of plastic arts

The discussion will address the artists' personal experiences in navigating the art scene, the opportunities and challenges they faced, and the details of making images and paintings in the Gulf, from traditions and heritage to new fields that shaped Gulf art as a whole.

Speakers: Artists and members of the Friends of Fine Arts group: Abdul Rasul Salman (Kuwait, founder), Yousef Ahmed (Qatar, co-founder), Nabil Najdi (Saudi Arabia, co-founder) and Fahd Al-Rubaiq (Saudi Arabia). The discussion will be moderated by Ghadeer Sadiq.

Beautiful library

First round

7 - 8 pm

Archive tour: Friends of Fine Arts: Glimpses from the Archive

the second day

Saturday 18 May

Live courtyard

Ground floor

11 AM - 12:30 PM

Panel Discussion: The Female Artists’ Perspective: What did it mean to be a female artist in the 1980s?

The discussion will explore themes of identity and inclusion from the perspective of female artists in the Friends of Fine Art group before the turn of the new millennium. The discussion will focus on the personal challenges and obstacles that female artists faced and overcame as mothers and artists, in light of the social and gender biases of the time.

Speakers: Female artists and members of the Friends of Fine Arts group: Dr. Najat Makki (UAE), Balqis Fakhro (Bahrain) and Thuraya Al-Baqasmi (Kuwait).

The discussion will be moderated by artist, curator and writer Dr. Effat Abdullah Fadaq (Saudi Arabia).

12:00

lunch break

2:30 - 4 pm

Panel discussion: The role of the first friends of art in reshaping the image of artistic production and visual culture in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

The discussion will address how the formation of the Gulf Cooperation Council as a political entity affected cultural and artistic development in the Gulf, and its role in empowering, giving opportunities, and uniting the artistic group to showcase their work outside the region. This discussion provides an opportunity to reflect on the group’s success in changing and redefining the region’s visual culture and the trajectory of contemporary art then, now and into the future.

Speakers: Artists and members of the Friends of Fine Arts group: Abdul Rasoul Salman (Kuwait, founder), Yousef Ahmed (Qatar, co-founder), Hassan Al-Mulla (Qatar). The discussion will be moderated by artist, curator and art critic Abdulaziz Ashour (Saudi Arabia).