‘The more people interact with each other, the better it is,’ Adam Savage tells Ithra crowd

Adam Savage: I think for a young creator, it’s really important to move towards the things that you find challenging. (Shutterstock)
Updated 15 October 2018
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‘The more people interact with each other, the better it is,’ Adam Savage tells Ithra crowd

  • American writer Mark Twain was famous for saying: ‘Travel is toxic to bigotry,’ and I totally agree. I relish the opportunity to go far and wide and come to a place I don’t know: Savage
  • I have made so many deep friendships in places I did not expect, and that happens for all people attending, said Savage

DHAHRAN: Adam Savage, MythBusters’ host and special effects master, was a guest speaker at Tanween on Friday, and his talk on telling stories through objects and the obsession required to tell these stories inspired an audience of all ages.

As a child, Savage said he struggled to communicate with his peers and sought refuge in inanimate objects and costumes, designing and recreating things he loved as a form of storytelling — the child in almost every adult present could relate to that.

While taking the audience down his creative memory lane, Savage presented some of his memorable projects, such as creating NASA spacesuits from scratch; the most lasting impression was his venture to make a model of The Overlook Hotel’s maze in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.”

After innumerable hours of obsessive research, Savage managed to complete the maze: one so exquisite it replaced the one on display as part of Stanley Kubrick’s traveling exhibition.

“It turns out that all I’ve ever been doing is telling stories — it is one of the single pleasures of my life,” he concluded, eliciting massive applause.

Speaking to Arab News before the talk, Savage explored the idea of visiting a country like Saudi Arabia. “A few years ago I was able to do a series of performances in Abu Dhabi, and it was my first time to the Middle East. As an American, the Middle East is not a place that I’d normally travel: it’s not part of an American’s idea of where you should go. And yet, I find the whole region incredibly fascinating, and to come here and visit a culture that I’m unfamiliar with, and meet such lovely people: it widens the eyes. American writer Mark Twain was famous for saying: ‘Travel is toxic to bigotry,’ and I totally agree. I relish the opportunity to go far and wide and come to a place I don’t know.”

The creative guru also spoke about the importance of events like Tanween. “I think these events signify bringing people together from different places to hear each other. I go to a lot of conferences, and my favorite thing about them is listening to other viewpoints and opinions and ideas, but another part of it is meeting the people there.

“I have made so many deep friendships in places I did not expect, and that happens for all people attending. There are these collisions and the more people interact with each other, I think the better it is, in general, for all people,” he added.

Savage’s most recent work with 12-16 year-olds for the new show “MythBusters Jr.” is “the most creatively satisfying thing” he’s ever done.

He said his creativity stems from his exploration of everything that is challenging, and that was the advice he had for Saudi youth. “I think for a young creator, it’s really important to move towards the things that you find challenging, to listen to opinions you don’t understand, to unpack the things that confuse you and confound you. Staying comfortable - it’s not good for you.”

He appreciated how deeply invested Saudi Arabia is in arts, and described some of the artwork coming out of the region as “exciting, challenging and complicated.”

His stay in the Kingdom was a short-lived 26 hours, but he confessed to wanting to visit again and explore the country. 


Reconstituted Saudi IP authority’s board of directors approved 

Updated 26 December 2024
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Reconstituted Saudi IP authority’s board of directors approved 

  • Shihana Alazzaz, who is an adviser at the Royal Court, will continue to serve as chair

RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property’s newly-reconstituted Board of Directors was approved for a three-year term, the Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday.

In the reconstituted board, Shihana Alazzaz, who is an adviser at the Royal Court, will continue to serve as chair. She previously served as the deputy secretary-general of the Council of Ministers and was the first Saudi woman to hold the position.

The approval includes extending the membership of Eng. Haitham Al-Ohali, Eng. Osama Al-Zamil, and Dima Al-Yahya.

Badr Al-Qadi and Dr. Mohammed Al-Otaibi join the board as new members. 

Alazzaz expressed her thanks and gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their generous and continuous support for the authority.

She also thanked the previous board members for their efforts and wished the new members success.

The authority’s CEO Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem, said that the new formation of the board reflects the continued generous support of the leadership for the authority, wishing the Board success.


Grand Mosque authority announces free storage for Umrah performers

Updated 26 December 2024
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Grand Mosque authority announces free storage for Umrah performers

  • Storage facilities are located near the Makkah Library and Gate 64

MAKKAH: Authorities in the holy city of Makkah announced on Wednesday free luggage storage for Umrah performers.

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque announced that free storage facilities are available to the east of the Grand Mosque, near the Makkah Library, and to the west, near Gate 64.

Umrah performers must present their permits through the Nusuk app to access the facilities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Umrah performers can store bags, not loose items, weighing up to 7 kilograms for a maximum of four hours. Valuables, prohibited items, food, and medicine are not permitted. A claim ticket must be presented for retrieval.

The authority plans to extend the service to encompass all areas around the Grand Mosque to better assist visitors, the SPA added.


King Salman, Crown Prince send condolences to Azerbaijan president

Updated 26 December 2024
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King Salman, Crown Prince send condolences to Azerbaijan president

  • The King and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also extend sympathies to families of plane crash victims

RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman each sent messages of condolence and sympathy to Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, after the tragic crash of a passenger plane.

The King and the crown prince also extended their heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives onboard the Azerbaijan Airlines plane, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

On Wednesday morning, the passenger plane, traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia, crashed near Aktau, western Kazakhstan, with 62 passengers and five crew members on board.

Kazakh authorities announced that 28 people had survived.


KSrelief chief meets Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia

Updated 25 December 2024
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KSrelief chief meets Palestinian ambassador to Saudi Arabia

  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and Mazen Ghoneim discussed Saudi humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza

RIYADH: The supervisor-general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, met the Palestinian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Mazen Ghoneim on Wednesday in Riyadh.

Al-Rabeeah and Ghoneim discussed Saudi humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Ghoneim expressed his gratitude to KSrelief and praised its strong relationship with the Palestinian people, the SPA added.

KSrelief initiated various projects to support Palestinian hospitals and humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli war.

Earlier in December, KSrelief sent 20 fully equipped ambulances to boost the health sector in Gaza.

It also distributed aid and food parcels that benefited nearly 3,500 Palestinians, some of whom were displaced in the Gaza Strip.


Saudi-Qatari security, military committee meeting held in Riyadh

Updated 25 December 2024
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Saudi-Qatari security, military committee meeting held in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani chaired the second meeting of the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council’s Security and Military Committee in Riyadh on Wednesday.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest, to achieve the aspirations of the two nations’ leaders and people, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Prince Saud praised the efforts made by both sides to achieve joint initiatives.