RIYADH: Diriyah Art Futures, a new media arts hub in the region, has opened its doors with its inaugural exhibition, “Art Must Be Artificial: Perspectives of AI in the Visual Arts,” running until Feb. 15.

Curated by Jerome Neutres, former director at the Reunion des Musees Nationaux-Grand Palais in Paris, the exhibition features works by more than 30 international and regional artists exploring the history of computer art from the 1960s to the present day.

Haytham Nawar, director of Diriyah Art Futures, told Arab News that the art hub is “transforming Saudi Arabia into a global center of exchange and discourse in these emergent fields.”

The exhibit includes pieces by Saudi artists Lulwah Al-Homoud, Muhannad Shono and Nasser Al-Shemimry, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning contributions to new media and digital art.

International artists include Frieder Nake (Germany), Vera Molnar (Hungary/France) alongside contemporary innovators like Refik Anadol (Turkiye) and Ryoji Ikeda (Japan).

“By placing works from different geographic regions, eras and mediums alongside one another, we aim to introduce the region to the immense power of new media art, while shining a light on its remarkable depth and potential,” said Nawar.

He added that the exhibition brings “a much-needed regional perspective to the conversation, allowing the works to be experienced, understood and perceived in new ways.”

Speaking about new media art explorations in the Saudi context, the hub director added: “Interestingly, with the word ‘algorithm’ originating from the Islamic world, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the relevance of these themes to Saudi Arabia, a country with a very young and technologically literate population, currently experiencing a dramatic transformation.”

Alongside its opening, the hub is also launching the Emerging New Media Artists Programme, developed in collaboration with Le Fresnoy — Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France.

The initiative will last one year, equipping emerging artists with advanced equipment, mentorship and funding to create innovative multidisciplinary works.

Nawar says Diriyah Art Futures selected a group of emerging artists from diverse backgrounds, hailing from across the world and representing a broad range of mediums.

“We wanted to work with artists whose work already stands out, but would benefit from a one-year program, under the mentorship of world-class artists.”

In addition, the hub has announced the Mazra’ah Media Art Residency, which will run from February to April next year. This three-month program invites established artists and scholars to engage with its resources to create works reflecting on the relationship between nature, technology and society.

Mona Khazindar, adviser to the Ministry of Culture, said that the hub is creating “a space for diverse perspectives and creative expressions to meet, converse and flourish — breaking down barriers and demonstrating the power of art to connect humanity.”

“DAF embodies Saudi Arabia’s commitment to facilitating cultural exchange and international collaboration, while creating opportunities for shared learning, innovation and mutual understanding,” Khazinder added. “Through our embrace of these principles, we aim to not only celebrate regional heritage, but also contribute to the global conversation about the role of culture in shaping a more connected and creative future.”

Developed by the Saudi Museums Commission in partnership with Diriyah Co., Diriyah Art Futures contributes to the global new media and digital art landscape by integrating regional voices and pioneering practices in art, technology and innovation.

The launch of Diriyah Art Futures aligns with Saudi Vision 2030’s commitment to advancing innovation, driving global collaboration and positioning the country as a leader in the global creative economy.

DUBAI: Mexican actress Melissa Barrera opened up about how she felt after facing backlash in Hollywood over her comments on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Speaking to The Independent, Barrera said “it was the darkest and hardest year of my life, and I had to reevaluate everything. There were times when I felt like my life was over.”

The 34-year-old actress was fired from “Scream VII” after she took to social media to call for a ceasefire and criticised Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. As of Nov. 27, 2024, the death toll in Gaza has reached 44,200, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

 

 

 

 

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“Gaza is currently being treated like a concentration camp,” she wrote in an Instagram story in October 2023. “This is genocide and ethnic cleansing.” In another post, she complained about the supposed bias in Western media reporting, saying: “Western media only shows the other side … why they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself. We don’t need more hate. No Islamophobia. No antisemitism.”

Spyglass, the studio behind the latest Scream films, dropped Barrera from the franchise in response.  “We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” the company said in a statement.

Barrera says she then faced almost a year of difficulties in Hollywood.

“It was quiet for like 10 months,” Barrera told The Independent about her acting jobs. “I was still getting offers for small things here and there – I’m not going to lie and say there was nothing – but (the message) was, ‘Oh, she probably doesn’t have work, she’ll say yes to anything.'”

Instead, the actress spent much of 2024 promoting the films she made before the incident, including horror comedy “Abigail” and musical “Your Monster.”

 

 

 

 

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The latter sees Barrera play a soft-spoken actress who finds love again when she meets a terrifying but charming monster that lives in her closet.

The “Your Monster” script came across Barrera’s desk soon after filming “Scream VI” in 2022.

“I kept getting horror scripts, and I wasn’t getting a lot of the really exciting parts I was auditioning for,” she told the newspaper of why she jumped at the role. “I would get (roles) that I wasn’t excited about, and I’ve never been a person that just wants to work for work’s sake. I give so much of myself to acting that if a part of me feels like it’s not worth it, I’m (going to) be miserable.”