JEDDAH: The development of Jeddah’s waterfront has offered new opportunities for artists to display their work. One of them is the world-renowned Syrian sculptor Rabia Al-Akhras.
Al-Akhras was born in Homs and graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus. He has gone on to become one of the most famous sculptors in the world, his work sought-after by museums and private collectors alike. But he gifted his sculptures to the city of Jeddah.
He told Arab News, “I spent most of my life in the city of Jeddah; I am indebted to this city and all that it has given me, and in return I gave it sculptures of three horses, which honors me tremendously. The horses represent an extension of 20 other sculptures I’ve made throughout my life.
“These sculptures were not made with Jeddah specifically in mind, but they suit the city and the waterfront; the ambience of horse tracks is timeless and reflects a kind of passion, heritage and history,” he continued.
“In addition, 80 percent of the designs displayed at the corniche were made by female sculptors, whose work I’ve supervised closely as their mentor. Most of them are my students, many of whom are senior sculptors and university teachers who have many works of their own.”
“It is not the job of the artist to search for a school to belong to,” Al-Akhras said. “An honest designer reflects his innermost self in his work.” The sculptors’ main objective, he explained, was to ensure their designs were compatible with the waterfront.
Al-Akhras said that the majority of his ideas, and his sculptures, have “a strong relationship” with Jeddah, citing the sea, “the city’s crevices and the clear sky” as inspirations.
“All the works displayed at the waterfront will carry this — the inspiration and the internal accumulation of the innermost mind; that is the basis of the sculptures,” he said. “The works are not archaeological but possess a sense of heritage. Archaeological work is that which has lived long, but imitating antiquities is not in itself archaeological, but inspired by it.”
“I love to leave pieces of them missing because it has to do with the concept that we are not complete and are imperfect; this is from an intellectual aspect,” he explained. “But with regard to technicality, my sculptures aim to stimulate the imagination of the recipient so they will fill in the blanks in their own way. That way, it is up to the recipient to imagine the remainder of the sculpture on their own.
“It’s very nice. When we see, for example, the horses’ roundabout in the city of Jeddah, we see the design of horses through the fragmentation of the first horse in the second horse and then back,” he continued. “This beautiful interference triggers movement and the ability to see the unrealized vision, but it exists within the sculpture to create harmony between two blocks and two spaces.”
View more photos of the waterfront's sculptors here.
Rabia Al-Akhras: The man behind Jeddah’s waterfront sculptures
Rabia Al-Akhras: The man behind Jeddah’s waterfront sculptures
Green initiative launched in Eastern Region
- Goal is to plant more than 500,000 trees and 3 million flowers throughout Dammam’s streets and parks
- Scheme, in line with Vision 2030’s goal of increasing green spaces, also aligns with the broader national afforestation campaign
DAMMAM: The Eastern Region Municipality has announced a special initiative involving 30 volunteers to mark National Greening Season, launched by Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadley.
The goal is to plant more than 500,000 trees and 3 million flowers throughout Dammam’s streets and parks in a bid to improve air quality, reduce heat and enhance biodiversity, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The scheme, in line with Vision 2030’s goal of increasing green spaces, also aligns with the broader national afforestation campaign under the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to promote sustainable environmental development and enhance vegetation cover.
The municipality emphasized the initiative would help combat desertification and promote the achievement of environmental balance through the use of locally suitable plants.
It highlighted how collaboration with various institutions will raise awareness about afforestation and support green infrastructure, thereby improving the quality of life in the Eastern Region.
Madinah research center releases map of 50 prominent archaeological sites
- Map includes documented historical landmarks, their current locations, and their association with the life of the Prophet Muhammad
- Forms part of the center’s scientific and cultural documentation efforts, with the map featuring an interactive barcode for each historical landmark
RIYADH: The Madinah Research and Studies Center has released an updated version of the Innaha Taybah map, which features 50 historical and archaeological sites in the region.
The map includes documented historical landmarks, their current locations, and their association with the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
This comes as part of the center’s scientific and cultural documentation efforts, with the map featuring an interactive barcode for each historical landmark that introduces the place and allows users to view the historical site’s details.
It contains significant landmarks that tourists can visit, starting with the Prophet’s Mosque, the most prominent site in Madinah and a destination for Muslim visitors throughout the year.
Also featured are Baqi’ Al-Gharqad, Al-Safiyyah Museum and Park, the Architecture of the Prophet’s Mosque Exhibition and the International Fair and Museum of the Prophet’s Biography.
The map also includes prominent historical mosques that were built during the Prophet’s era and are still standing, such as the Mosque of Al-Ghamama, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Mosque, Omar bin Al-Khattab Mosque, Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque, Al-Sajdah Mosque, Al-Ijabah Mosque, Al-Suqya Mosque, Al-Manaratain Mosque, Bani Haram Mosque, Al-Fatah Mosque, Al-Rayah Mosque, Bani Harithah Mosque, Al-Shaikhain Mosque, Al-Jumu’ah Mosque, and Quba Mosque.
The Innaha Taybah map includes numerous archaeological landmarks, notably the Sela Mountain, Jabal Aynayn (Al-Rumat), the Martyrs of Uhud Cemetery, and ancient wells that have been rehabilitated as part of a project to restore historical sites in the region. These include Bir Al-Khatam (Well of Arees), Athq Well, Al-Ihn Well, the Well of Ghars and Al-Foqair Well. Other sites include the Urwa Palace, Al-Jamawat, the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an, and natural landmarks connected to events that took place in Madinah during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and subsequent eras.
Saudi cabinet calls for Arab-Islamic summit, urgent political solutions amid regional crises
RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet discussed the Kingdom’s call for an Arab-Islamic summit to address ongoing Israeli aggression in Palestinian territories and Lebanon, in a session chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday.
The cabinet also stressed the urgent need for a political resolution to the crisis in Sudan, urging all parties to honor the commitments outlined in the "Jeddah Declaration" of May 2023. It emphasized the importance of an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, a cessation of hostilities, and the unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.
The cabinet also reviewed the Kingdom’s recent hosting of the inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution, which brought together representatives from 90 countries and international organizations.
Understanding fans key to building sports brands, says football marketing guru
- Manchester United connects with audiences and “converts followers to fans”
- Saudi clubs should find their own unique point of view
RIYADH: Understanding your fan base is a key element of successfully marketing your sports brand, Manchester United’s director of marketing told the audience at the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh.
During his keynote speech, “Cultural Connection, Unbreakable Bonds and the Power of Stories: Lessons Learnt From a Career in Sports Marketing,” Matt McKie talked about his experience working in notable roles for the Olympics, Nike and EA Sports.
Whether you are a football fan or not, there is no denying that Manchester United is one of the most well-known clubs in the world. But how did it gain its reputation?
Like many popular teams, it is about connecting with your audience and Manchester United has a unique way of “converting followers to fans,” McKie told Arab News.
“I would say the absolute key to finding an audience and growing is really understanding your fans and, in the UK and in Europe, football clubs are bigger than just sports assets, than community assets, they mean more,” he said. “There will be generations of families that have gone to watch the team and support them, so honoring that and respecting that is absolutely key.”
An important marketing tactic for McKie involves researching the upbringing and backgrounds of athletes before their rise to stardom. This is a way to humanize them and create campaigns with a personal touch.
“I think humanizing athletes is an important marketing tactic (and) I think it’s an important human tactic,” he said. “These are individuals in the public eye, there are millions and millions of people watching them, expecting things from them. They have the same problems we have ... so it’s incredibly important that we understand that.”
McKie highlights unique brand identities for emerging football clubs, such as FC Como and Venezia, in Italy, and Forest Green Rovers in England. Venezia is known for its love of fashion while the latter has claimed the title of becoming the first fully vegan football club.
“It’s really about building a profile and understanding who the audience is and then you can serve them the things that will drive them down towards being a fan, and a committed fan, that comes to games etc.
“It’s very important in women’s sports because of the very high proportion of fandom that exists there. It’s important as marketers that we actually bring them closer, we understand them, we give them content that’s going to engage them and not just bring the ideas of men’s football across and expect it to work.”
For Saudi teams, McKie’s advice is to “have a point of view.”
“Within Saudi, a lot of these teams are new or relatively new in the grand scheme of football. So there’s an opportunity to have a point of view and stand for something … to form a team that plays a certain way and isn’t bound by baggage that can come from being a really big heritage brand.”
KSA showcases urban initiatives at Cairo forum
- The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning
RIYADH: Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, head of the Kingdom’s delegation, visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo, which began on Monday and ends on Nov. 8.
The pavilion, organized by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, features spaces for meetings, workshops and dialogue sessions. It includes over 40 interactive activities and hosts 150 representatives from various Saudi entities.
The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning, showcasing innovative projects and successful experiences, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
It also showcases the Kingdom’s achievements under Vision 2030, including sustainable transport networks, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced municipal services in cities.
On the sidelines of the forum, Prince Faisal met with several delegation heads to discuss enhancing cooperation and exchanging expertise.
He discussed potential collaboration between Riyadh and Istanbul with Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, focusing on the exchange of skills.
He also met with Anar Guliyev, a member of the cabinet and chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan, to discuss cooperation.
