LONDON: Christie’s decision to hold its autumn sale of Middle Eastern Modern and Contemporary Art in London for the first time was greeted with an enthusiastic reception by art lovers who competed to buy the most coveted pieces in the auction held on Oct. 25. The traditional March sale week will continue to take place in Dubai and will occur during the Dubai Art Season.
Registered bidders from 23 countries confirmed the international appetite for works from the region. The sale was led by a world auction record for the Iraqi artist Jewad Selim, whose painting “The Watermelon Seller” sold for $876,73, more than double its high estimate of $328,150.
Another highlight was Mahmoud Sabri’s “Grief,” which sold for $876,731, more than ten times its high estimate of $78,756 and a new world auction record for the artist.
The Emirati artist Abdul Qader Al-Rais donated two paintings, “The Dream” ($81,938) and “Untitled” ($81,938) with proceeds from the sale benefitting the Emirates Red Crescent Authority.
Arab News spoke to Michael Jeha, deputy chairman and managing director for Christie’s in the Middle East, who explained that demand for Middle Eastern art is increasing globally.
“We are seeing more and more collectors and institutions from around the world participating in Middle Eastern art sales. It’s moving up and the market is becoming more mature. Established collectors from the Middle East particularly are now extremely knowledgeable about the art; they ask a lot more questions and are all focusing on a narrower group of artists than five years ago.
“In Saudi Arabia, and Jeddah in particular, you can sense there is an increasing appetite for art – there are more galleries opening up and you have the 2139 initiatives – more and more patrons and foundations being set up,” he said.
The sale comprised approximately 60 works, mostly consigned by private collectors and led by and important group of works by Egyptian artists, highlighted by their recognized master Mahmoud Said (1897-1964).
Mahmoud Said’s portrait “Hanem” sold for $420,503 alongside his second version of “La Fille aux Yeux Verts,” which was sold for $229,425.
It was fascinating to listen to Christie’s experts talking about the paintings.
Hala Khayat, head of Sale for Middle Eastern Art, Christie’s, based in Dubai, told an intriguing story about a controversy that arose over Mahmoud Said’s “La Fille aux Yeux Verts.” When Christie’s first put this painting up for auction several years ago, the sale was stopped because it was thought to be a stolen work. As it happens, all was above board.
The recently published catalogue raisonné of Mahmoud Saod, co-written by Valerie Hess from Christie’s, revealed that he painted two versions of the piece. One was painted in 1931 and is still part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo. He painted another version in 1932, “La Fille aux Yeux Verts (réplique),” originally in the collection of Charles Terrasse, the first director of the Museum of Modern Art in Cairo. That version was put up for sale by Christie’s.
Khayat explained that Said was from an upper class aristocratic family. His father was the Prime Minister of Egypt. He was a lawyer by profession but his real passion was art.
“His mind and soul were in painting and exploring the Egyptian identity. We refer to him as the father of all modernists in the Arab world because, very early on, he started to look at the people of the land and to paint them with their traditional look. The painting “Hanem” depicts a woman sitting in her house wearing her turban. This representation was something new as prior to this you wouldn’t have seen women depicted in this way — they would have been shown wearing their jewelry sitting in a Western style,” she said.
Two striking works in the sale were by the Syrian artist Safwan Dahoul who had to leave his country due to the war and is now based in Dubai. Khayat, when asked if the woman in the painting “Reve” was the artist’s late wife, who died of cancer, said Dahoul has said that he does not consciously set out to paint her image but that she always comes to his mind.
Khayat, who is Syrian, was taught by Dahoul
“I grew up in Damascus and he was one of my teachers at university,” she explained.
Khayat gave some insights into the artist Jewad Selim whose “Watermelon Seller” proved to be a highlight of the sale, selling for double its estimate.
“Jewad Selim died very young in his 40s. He was one of the first artists who on returning to Iraq after studying in Italy and London tried to come up with an Iraqi identity. He looked to the colors of Mesopotamia and used simple forms. He was one of the first artists to exhibit in the US. His work is extremely rare; in my eleven years with Christie’s we have managed to sell just one small painting and one small sculpture,” she said.
Painted in 1953, the painting combines Selim’s inspiration from his Eastern tradition and Western influences obtained when studying in Paris, London and Rome. The watermelon represents modern Iraq, the land of the two rivers, with its intersection of the Tigris and Euphrates and hints to the novelty of modern Iraq. The composition is rendered in shapes and the crescent shape is taking a leading role in representing the watermelon slices, an association to the fertile crescent of the Middle Eastern region, which is historically considered as the cradle of civilization.
The Middle Eastern art was exhibited alongside the works sold at the Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds’ auction on Oct. 26.
Khayat commented: “I love the juxtaposition with the Islamic and Indian Art week — it is like a dialogue.”
She noted how, for example, the work of contemporary artist Reza Derakhshani echoed the traditions embodied in the fine paintings in the adjoining rooms.
Sara Plumbly, head of the department of Islamic and Indian Art, gave Arab News a tour of some of artworks in the sale.
She encouraged us to look closely at a portrait of Safdar Khan, attributed to Bichitr, Mughal, India, circa 1635-40, in order to fully appreciate the exquisite detail and coloring.
Some beautiful carpets were featured in the sale too. Christie’s Oriental Rugs and Carpets expert, Louise Broadhurst, was on hand to explain some of the distinctive features which indicate quality and authenticity. She helped us to understand the qualities of a West Anatolian Ghirlandaio rug of the late 17th century.
“Tonal changes in the color signify a natural dyed carpet. Each time a new batch of dye was made it would be of a different consistency which is why you get this natural change of color which you don’t get in a synthetic dye from a bottle which is always of the same consistency.
“These are the kind of ‘fingerprints’ we are looking for in hand woven carpets — these types of irregularities. Some colors are particularly sought after by collectors — for example, the color aubergine — which was a rare plant.
“Browns were woven from fungi and mushroom bark — these dyes have a natural corrosive element within them — so when you run your hand over the surface of a 16th or 17th century carpet you will feel a relief effect happening from this natural corrosion. Reds also corroded. Blues and greens are stronger due to the natural preservative in the dye which keeps the colors looking better for longer.
“We want to be assured that the carpet hasn’t been re-piled or overly restored,” she said.
The way the artworks were presented in the pre-sale exhibitions greatly added to the excitement around the auctions. Having the experts on hand to share their special knowledge helped bring the works to life and added to the appreciation of the rich cultures of the respective regions.
International bidders prove Mideast art is all the rage at Christie’s London auction
International bidders prove Mideast art is all the rage at Christie’s London auction
From struggles to innovation: How Saudi calligrapher Abdulaziz Al-Rashedi revolutionized Arabic script
- ‘I feel there is a holy light within the letters,’ says Abdulaziz Al-Rashedi
DUBAI: Saudi calligrapher and arts instructor Abdulaziz Al-Rashedi’s first love was the pen. His fascination with writing began in elementary school in the Eighties in his hometown of Madinah.
Al-Rashedi talks about holding a pen in the same way a musician might discuss holding their instrument. In the eyes of the calligrapher, writing is an artistic act, like a dance, that has its own kind of magic.
“What I loved about the pen was the way the ink was flowing out of it,” he tells Arab News. “The pen led me to my love of writing Arabic calligraphy.”
But there were challenges imposed by the conservative social environment of the Kingdom in the Eighties and Nineties.
“People didn’t regard art as something important. During that time, people thought that art couldn’t generate money. For them, it was a waste of time,” he says. “In such a depressing environment, I was suffering from people’s lack of interest. They were saying that the writing would distract me from my studies. But actually, it encouraged me to study.”
Not everyone disregarded his interest in pursuing calligraphy, however. Al-Rashedi’s late father was always a supporter.
“He was a believer in writing, and conserving it,” Al-Rashedi says. “He thought I was doing something important with my life, even though others thought it wasn’t important. They likened it to making scribbles. I was literally making art on my own. None of my friends shared this interest with me and there were no calligraphy institutes to encourage this talent. The situation was very difficult.”
But in 1993, Al-Rashedi learned there was, in fact, a master Saudi calligrapher living in Madinah: Ahmad Dia. He kindly agreed to teach Al-Rashedi the basics of Arabic calligraphy. And, perhaps just as importantly, to do so in his home, which Al-Rashedi compares to a school and a museum, as well as a meeting place for calligraphers.
“I was young, but he treated me like a man,” the artist recalls. “For us calligraphers, he was like a spiritual father figure, who planted a seed of determination in us. He always encouraged us and never told us off if our writing wasn’t on point.”
Al-Rashedi remained in contact with his tutor until Dia’s death in 2022 during the COVID pandemic. “When he died, it felt as if the light went off,” Al-Rashedi says.
Al-Rashedi also trained himself by copying the work of another important figure: Hashem Al-Baghdadi, the influential Iraqi calligrapher and educator who published books on the rules of Arabic calligraphy. Al-Rashedi describes the pre-social media era as a “truly dark period” when there were no opportunities to host exhibitions or share his work with others.
“People weren’t communicating with each other. It was a period that lacked (opportunity) and even good materials, such as pens and paper,” he recalls.
But with the advent of social media, most notably Facebook, and the opening of a few art galleries, including Jeddah’s Athr Gallery in 2009, things improved drastically. Today, Al-Rashedi is able to share his work on Instagram and other platforms, displaying the skills he has honed over three decades of practice.
Arabic calligraphy is an internationally respected art form that has existed for thousands of years, exercised in Islamic texts and found on monuments around the world. So, what is its long-lasting secret?
“I often ask myself why the curves of Arabic calligraphy have bewitched people for so long, and I believe it inevitably has something to do with its holiness,” he says. “Allah has been an inspiration for calligraphers and their innovation of writing. I feel there is a holy light within the letters of Arabic calligraphy.”
But Al-Rashedi also believes that, for many years, calligraphy has been stuck in a rut, untouched by modern innovation or creativity.
“Many calligraphers have literally said that Arabic calligraphy has reached its end and no one could add anything new to it,” he says. “Such an idea is incorrect.”
Indeed, Al-Rashedi has invented his own form of Arabic calligraphy, which he calls “3punt.” (He says the name refers to the size of the letters, which are written using three different pens.)
“It depends on the idea of lessening the thickness of the letter. Usually, one pen is used in Arabic calligraphy. But I discovered that the original bulkiness of Arabic scripture and the usage of just one pen prevents Arabic calligraphy from having new forms of writing being added to its system.”
Based on a strict set of rules, Al-Rashedi’s 3punt calligraphy contains 55 “subtypes of writing,” he says. It has its own lightness and elegance, with carefully choreographed flowing lines of slender Arabic script.
Ultimately, Al-Rashedi believes that Arabic calligraphy is about connections.
“If we look at Latin or Chinese scripture, on letters like ‘n,’ ‘e,’ or ‘r,’ they are based on separate components. But with Arabic calligraphy, you can connect six or seven letters in one go,” he says. “Without a doubt, Arabic writing — as an art form — is superior to other types of writing.”
US contemporary artist Brendan Murphy discusses his first show in Riyadh
RIYADH: The American contemporary artist Brendan Murphy brought his solo exhibition “Complete Control” to Ahlam Gallery in Riyadh on Nov. 7. The Riyadh show is the conclusion of a global tour that Murphy began in June 2024 at Fineart Oslo.
The show features a number of Murphy’s iconic “Spaceman” sculptures, with a particular focus on his limited-edition collectible series titled “Magication.”
In an interview with Arab News, Murphy said the main goal of his show is to bring people “into the moment.” He also stressed that he felt a “creative cultural resonance” with the Kingdom, where he believes people have shown “an appetite for creative works.”
He said: “I have a lot of stuff I’m working on, but I’m focused on building a foundation in Riyadh right now. This show is not a one-shot deal, I want to be a part of this renaissance (that’s happening in Saudi Arabia) for the next five to 10 years, at least. I want to be a part of it — I want to lead it if I can.”
Murphy’s body of work includes colorful abstract paintings and sculptures of his signature Spacemen, which explore themes of beauty, power, and the human experience.
As a kid, watching astronauts and space shuttle launches played a major role in Murphy’s life and eventually became one of his main artistic inspirations.
“My spacemen have little to do with space travel,” he explained. “They epitomize embracing the unknown — taking that step — more than somebody that literally is flying into darkness.”
Murphy’s Spacemen come in various sizes and forms, including small collectibles and large-scale installations. This versatility allows them to fit into diverse settings, from private collections to public art displays. The sculptures can be found across the world, including a 13-foot Spaceman in Houston’s Minute Maid Park baseball stadium and a 22-foot Spaceman in Oslo.
Murphy hasn’t always been an artist. He was once a professional basketball player in Europe, and then became a Wall Street trader. “I did not make a full pivot into accepting that I was a creative person until I was maybe 29,” he said. Today, he is one of most financially successful contemporary artists in the world.
In 2021, Brendan created his “Boonji Project” — a collection of his artwork as non-fungible tokens — and launched it on the Ethereum blockchain (which uses the cryptocurrency Ether). It became the largest primary NFT sale in history, producing $15.5 million dollars.
His work has proven popular with both serious collectors and celebrities, including the tennis players Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams, as well as US business mogul Warren Buffett.
Inspired by artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Jackson Pollock — famed for their use of color — Murphy’s art aims to encourage the viewer to tune into their emotions and discover the unknown.
“I love color as a means of communicating a feeling,” Murphy said. “When I make something and I get it right, my work creates energy and that’s pretty cool. Color is the easiest way of creating energy; different colors connect with different feelings.”
Murphy said his practice, by choice, demands that he step out of his comfort zone. He utilizes non-traditional methods and rare materials including chrome and diamonds to create conceptual pieces. He has become famous for his extravagant works of art, including “Frozen with Desire,” a sculpture of an astronaut encrusted with 6,200 diamonds, priced at $25 million.
“As an artist, you have to be uncomfortable all the time,” he said. “Find comfort in what you can control, then break it and go where you have no idea what you’re doing.”
Mark Strong plays ‘interesting version’ of all-powerful ruler in ‘Dune: Prophecy’
JEDDAH: The latest big-budget sci-fi series takes fans back to the familiar universe of Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” but 10,000 years before the events of the recent movies starring Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet.
The HBO Max show “Dune: Prophecy” — streaming in the Middle East on OSN+ — follows the rise of the shadowy Bene Gesserit sisterhood. British actor Mark Strong takes on the role of Emperor Javicco Corrino, a man who has become ruler of the galaxy at a tumultuous time.
No stranger to playing characters in powerful positions — most recently, he portrayed the ruthless mob boss Carmine Falcone in another HBO series, “Penguin” — Strong claims that his Emperor Corrino is a little different to the usual screen versions of such men.
“I’m playing a very interesting version of the guy in charge,” Strong tells Arab News. “So, he is the emperor of the universe, which is a great part to play as an actor, obviously, but what’s fascinating about him is his vulnerability — the fact that he is managing a fragile peace.
“So, the guy isn’t what I normally am asked to play, which is people with power who know what they’re doing. He’s very unsure of himself. He doesn’t feel like he’s inherited the ability of his father, he feels a bit of an imposter. He’s trying to deal with a world that he’s not in control of. And I love that juxtaposition of a man that’s supposed to be in charge and supposed to know what he’s doing, and actually he’s very unsure of himself.”
For Strong, the success of the current “Dune” movie and TV franchise is down to the source material.
“The base of the whole thing is these amazing novels that people adore. They are incredibly complicated — really rich. A lot of what we know as modern science fiction, whether it’s ‘Star Trek’ or ‘Star Wars’ or whatever, they come from those books,” he said.
“It’s a world that you want to try and have a go at, because nobody’s done it before. The series, obviously, is set before the movies and in a very different world. And it’s great to have a go at something that that is as fresh as this.”
Princess Rajwa attends parliament session in Jordan
DUBAI: Saudi-born Jordanian royal Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein attended a ceremony marking the inauguration of the first ordinary session of the 20th Parliament in Amman on Monday, marking her second public appearance since the birth of her first child this summer.
The royal showed off an elegant black ensemble for the occasion, complete with an oversized belt by Dior and pumps by Chloe. The look was finished off with the Goji Mini Bag in Black by Jill Sander.
Princess Rajwa was photographed alongside Queen Rania, who showed off a red look courtesy of Maison Valentino and Altuzarra.
Princess Rajwa made her first public appearance since the birth of Princess Iman bint Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II at a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match in October.
On August 3, 2024, the royal welcomed her first child, Princess Iman, with Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah.
At her birth, Jordan’s King Abdullah posted a tribute to his granddaughter on social media. Translated from Arabic, the post read: "I thank God for giving us our first granddaughter Iman bint Hussein. I congratulate beloved Hussein and Rajwa for their newborn.
“We ask God to raise her well and protect her for her parents. You have lit up our family.”
Princess Rajwa, who celebrated her 30th birthday in April, is the daughter of late Saudi businessman Khalid bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz Al-Saif, who died in January this year, and his wife, Azza bint Nayef Abdulaziz Ahmad Al-Sudairi.
Flormar seeks to expand Saudi footprint to meet growing demand in beauty market
DUBAI: Skincare and makeup brand Flormar is planning to triple the number of its stores in Saudi Arabia over the next four to five years to meet the demand of a burgeoning and increasingly competitive market.
Established in Milan, Italy, in the late 1950s, the company is now headquartered in Turkiye. Arab News spoke to CEO Matthieu Gomart about why he is so keen to increase the brand’s presence — currently 25 outlets — in the Kingdom.
“The beauty market in the Middle East — and specifically in Saudi Arabia — is quite dynamic,” he explained. “They have double-digit growth, making it one of our most exciting markets.”
Flormar has undergone something of a transformation in recent years, refining its product lines and formulations to appeal to a broader, more discerning audience.
Gomart said the brand’s approach has evolved to focus “on high-quality makeup at affordable prices” that aligned with skincare and ethical beauty trends.
The company’s clean and vegan products, designed to enhance skin health, have been particularly well-received among Saudi consumers, he added, noting an increasing appetite for natural ingredients and skin-friendly formulations.
It is a trend highlighted by panelists at Riyadh’s Hia Hub beauty conference in October. Industry insiders, such as Chalhoub Group president Patrick Chalhoub, told Arab News the under-30 demographic “use skincare products more frequently and are willing to experiment with innovative products, even with brands that are not necessarily very popular.”
With an entire conference dedicated to growing the Kingdom’s skincare market, it is no wonder Flormar has identified it as a target segment.
Gomart said Saudi consumers were also embracing innovations such as “skinification” — adding skincare benefits to makeup products.
To meet this demand, Flormar is adapting its offerings to include sun protection and hydration in its makeup line.
“Saudis have a strong appetite for those nutrients,” he said.
Flormar’s growth includes partnerships with local retailers, distribution through pharmacy chains, and plans to expand its e-commerce footprint.
“We are happy to be contributing to the rise of self-expression in Saudi Arabia,” Gomart added.
