The Spanish artist preserving the ancient art form of Islamic Guadameci
Updated 08 October 2020
Rawaa Talass
DUBAI: After a period of quiet months and lockdowns imposed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Dubai’s cultural scene is slowly picking up again. This week welcomes the sixth edition of World Art Dubai, branded as “the region’s largest affordable retail art fair,” which will be showcasing over 3,000 artworks by contemporary artists from the UAE and abroad.
Among the participating exhibitors this year is Spanish artist Jose Carlos Villarejo García, who previously took part in Sharjah’s Islamic Art Festival. As he explained to Arab News in an interview, showing his artistry to Dubai audiences is particularly special to him. “It is my first time in Dubai and my first time as part of World Art Dubai,” he said. “For me, it is a great opportunity to share my art with Dubai. I feel very happy and very close to Arab culture.”
Having familiarized himself with the culture of the UAE, García shared that his recent works were inspired by certain visual elements, such as colors and clothing materials, seen around Dubai. “I was inspired by the everyday things and houses of Dubai,” he said.
García specializes in an intricate and ancient form of art known as Islamic Guadameci (gilt leatherwork). Supplied
Born in the Andalusian city of Córdoba in 1980, García specializes in an intricate and ancient form of art known as Islamic Guadameci (gilt leatherwork), which features vibrant juxtapositions of colors and golden and silver leaves, rendering geometrical, repeating patterns on tanned sheepskin or ram leather. According to García, this technique was further enhanced under Arab rule in Spain by the Umayyad dynasty during the 10th century, “turning craftsmanship to art.”
“In my city of Córdoba,” he explained, “many of the customs from our Arab past are lived and maintained: the food, the decoration, the crafts, the friendliness and hospitality. Many cultural aspects have been transmitted from generation to generation. My art is a technique that I learned from my ancestors. I grew up in a family of artists. My guadamecíes take us to the most luxurious and splendorous period of the Arabs in Córdoba. And I project in my designs the same philosophy that the Arabs did in that time.”
García’s deep interest in Guadameci art began at an early age. Supplied
García’s deep interest in Guadameci art began at an early age, when he visited his uncle, artist Ramón García Romero, every day and watched him paint guadamecíes in his studio. García is also the founder of the Museum of the Omeyan Guadameci in Córdoba, where he is reviving this spiritual craftsmanship that was once favored by rulers.
“Islamic Guadameci art is the most spiritual in all its forms,” he explained. “The idea of Paradise is always present in it. This form of art brings us to the Eternal Garden with its vegetal and geometric motifs. It is the best way to have a vision of Paradise. The Caliph of Córdoba made gifts of guadamecíes to share the beauty of that vision.”
Given the attention to detail required to execute guadameciés, creating them is a lengthy process; it can take up to two years to complete one artwork. It requires a commitment to organization, customization of tools, dedication and confidence to pursue this kind of art. As García says: “The most important thing is to know your form of art.”
KARACHI: Pakistani artisans participating in Saudi Arabia’s International Handicrafts Week, Banan, on Friday called for deepening cultural ties between the two nations, emphasizing the role of art and crafts in fostering mutual understanding.
The exhibition, held in Riyadh from Nov. 23 to Nov. 29, featured over 500 artisans from 25 countries, showcasing a vibrant blend of traditions and skills.
The event, organized by the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, highlighted the role of crafts in promoting cross-cultural dialogue.
Several Pakistani artisans were facilitated by their embassy to participate in Banan and represent their country’s rich culture.
“It is important to explore the ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia through a cultural lens, which has started to happen,” Danish Jabbar Khan, CEO of Kaarvan Crafts Foundation and a participant at the event, told Arab News over the phone.
“The cultural exchange is the way forward for two countries to understand each other," he continued. "It’s simpler and long-lasting. People-to-people exchange is very important that such platforms allow.”
Khan’s foundation works with rural communities, particularly women, to preserve traditional crafts such as truck art, blue pottery and woodwork.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal on November 29, 2024, shows a general view of his stall featuring tuck art at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Ejaz ul Allah Mughal)
“The experience [of participating in the exhibition] was phenomenal,” he said. “The culture here is so open in terms of its scale, work, and inclusion. I am delighted to see Saudi women entrepreneurs in huge numbers.”
A highlight of the exhibition was truck artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal, who created custom pieces for attendees.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal on November 29, 2024, shows his work, featuring portraits of King Salman of Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at his stall featuring tuck art at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Ejaz ul Allah Mughal)
“I am happy that I represented Pakistan,” Mughal said, adding: “Though language was a barrier, art knows no boundaries. People here really appreciated my craft. Truck art is famous worldwide, so people know about it.”
Mariya Suhail, who uses a diverse range of Pakistan’s gemstones in jewelry, also took her craft to Banan. She set up Pakistan’s first gemstone cutting and processing facility in Lahore over a decade ago, though she later launched her own label, Orah Jewels.
Suhail's work blends Pakistan’s diverse gemstones into jewelry and home décor.
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Mariya Sohail on November 29, 2024, shows her stall at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Mariya Sohail)
“People here picked up gemstones from Pakistan and loved it," she told Arab News. "There is a lot of demand for Pakistani products here. People of Riyadh also have a very positive outlook towards Pakistan.”
She maintained that despite the language barrier, there was a lot of learning, networking and exposure.
“Cultural exchange is very important," she added. "I wish we can have more such events and opportunities to present this very beautiful image of Pakistan. It's been an incredible experience here.”
This handout photograph, shared by Pakistani artist Mariya Sohail on November 29, 2024, shows visiting children at her stall at the Pakistan pavilion during the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, Banan, in Riyadh. (Supplied/Mariya Sohail)
The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh also commended the artisans’ participation, calling the Pakistani pavilion a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and the unparalleled quality of its craftsmanship.
"From intricate handmade designs to traditional artistry passed down through generations, the showcased crafts highlighted the deep-rooted legacy of Pakistan's artisan community,” it said in a statement.
Red Sea International Film Festival 2024: The award contenders — part two
Updated 29 November 2024
Arab News
DUBAI: Following part one, here is the second half of our rundown of the films in competition at this year’s RSIFF, which begins Dec. 5.
‘Seeking Haven For Mr. Rambo’
Director: Khaled Mansour
Mansour’s debut feature will tug at the heartstrings of animal lovers. Set in Cairo, the film centers on 30-year-old Hassan, who faces eviction from the home he shares with his mother and his dog, Rambo. Their landlord, Karem, wants them out so he can expand his auto-repair workshop. When Karem attacks Hassan, Rambo steps in, and the landlord is humiliated in front of the whole neighborhood. Karem vows to take revenge. Mansour told Deadline that the film is “not about extreme violence against dogs, but about me and my generation’s relationship with society … That relationship in which we always feel chased in our city like stray dogs. At the same time, we do not know any other haven to belong to.” Mansour’s film was backed by the Red Sea Film Foundation.
‘Sima’s Song’
Director: Roya Sadat
Starring: Mozhdah Jamalzadah, Niloufar Kookhani, Aziz Deildar
Sadat has established herself as one of Afghanistan’s leading filmmakers. Her latest feature is a period piece, set in Kabul in 1978, and follows two friends — Suraya, a wealthy communist, and Sima, a not-so-wealthy Muslim conservative — navigating their country’s transition to socialism, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the rise of anti-Soviet resistance, including the mujahideen. With the Taliban once again controlling her country, Sadat’s film is a timely one. “The world has turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to what is happening to Afghan women,” she told Variety. “Perhaps this film can … invite the audience to join this collective call for solidarity through a shared sense of empathy.”
The Tunisian filmmaker’s second feature — which was backed by the Red Sea Film Foundation — is reportedly based on real-life events. A dissatisfied woman in her late twenties, Aya, is the sole survivor of a bus crash. Realizing that no one knows she is alive, she impetuously takes the opportunity to flee to Tunis under a false identity. But when she witnesses a crime, she learns just how precarious her new life is.
Multi-hyphenate Modiri is, according to the Tehran Times, “Iran’s leading social satirist.” In his latest feature, a young woman named Sarah is due to leave Tehran for Canada for three years to study for her doctorate. The night before her 6 a.m. flight, after a tense final family dinner, she heads out to a farewell party at her friend’s apartment. Then there’s a knock on the door from the police.
‘To Kill a Mongolian Horse’
Director: Xiaoxuan Jiang
Starring: Saina, Undus, Qilemuge, Tonggalag
The Manchurian filmmaker’s moving debut feature is the story of a Mongolian horseman (played by Jiang’s real-life friend Saina) who decides to become a performer in the hugely popular local horse shows, where Saina’s spectacular stunts help him make enough money to support his young son and cover his father’s gambling debts. But all Saina really wants is to care for his beloved sheep and horses on the wild grasslands — a way of life threatened by climate change and capitalism.
The Bangladeshi filmmaker directorial debut has already impressed on the festival circuit. The title character is the sole carer for her paraplegic mother Shirin. When Shirin suffers a heart attack, Saba rushes to sell their home, putting her life on hold in order to save her mother. Variety called it “a pressing work of social realism, expressing — in quiet but poignant ways — the tenor of the nation’s disaffected youth.”
‘My Friend An Delie’
Director: Zijian Dong
Starring: Liu Haoran, Zijian Dong
Li Mo is flying home for his father’s funeral when he bumps into his former best friend An Delie, whom he hasn’t seen since middle school and who insists he doesn’t know Li Mo — even though they are both heading to the same funeral. With their flight diverted, the two embark on a long drive together. Through flashbacks to the late Nineties, we see the formation of their friendship and the difficult relationships both had with their parents.
Tati’s atmospheric drama is set in the unforgiving desert on the Algerian border. Saad is a filmmaker trying to scrape enough money together to finish his movie. To do so, he has been living with his friend Fethi and his family who are professional smugglers, taking goods — usually fuel — into Tunisia. While Fethi and his family have welcomed Saad into their home, he remains, essentially, an outsider.
Best and Worst: Saudi influencer Bayan Omar talks entertainment, fashion, and life
Updated 29 November 2024
Hams Saleh
DUBAI: The Saudi influencer shares some favorites — and least-favorites — from entertainment, fashion, and life.
Best TV show/film you’ve ever seen?
“Friends.” I have never seen a series with a cast that is so real. It is relatable even for our culture. For example, I relate a lot to Rachel, because I know a friend here in Saudi Arabia that looks like her and has her personality.
There’s a lot, but one I remember is “Tusk.” It was a bad idea and the animation was terrible.
Best personal style moment so far?
The dress I wore when I was nominated for the Best Content Creator Award in Dubai in 2022. I wore a white dress and I really liked that outfit. Also, every year we have MDLBeast (Soundstorm) in Saudi Arabia and I go all out for that — including the makeup and hair.
Worst personal style moment?
I don’t think I have one. I’ve never worn something that I’m not comfortable with or that I’m not impressed with the style. I like the outfits I put together because I create each one from scratch.
Gold. It just ties everything together and makes it look very nice.
Worst accessory for a little black dress?
Silver. I don’t like how it looks. I also don’t like silver with my skin tone. I feel like it doesn’t suit me. I prefer gold.
Best fashion trend of 2024?
I really like the olive green color trend. And denim skirts — I like to see a lot of forgotten trends like this come back. It takes me back in time and I like that a lot.
Worst fashion trend of 2024?
The neon trend. It grabs attention, but in a bad way. It takes away from the rest of the look. They don’t see your hair or your face, and I hate that.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
“Age is just a number.” My grandma used to say that all the time. She was so young when she passed away — everyone saw her as a young and youthful woman, because her soul was young.
There’s an Arabic saying: “Eat what you like and wear what people like.” I don’t like that advice at all. You cannot represent yourself, or express your personality or your interests while wearing something that other people like. You need to represent yourself through what you like. If you always try to please people, you’ll never succeed.
Best book you’ve ever read?
“The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***.” I always used to think certain things, but I never said them out loud. When I read this book, it was technically saying the same things and beliefs that I had in my mind. So I felt very connected. I got validation.
Worst book you’ve ever read?
I do not have a worst book. Every book you read, you end up learning something from it.
Best holiday destination?
I like Los Angeles and Amsterdam. I feel like I belong in these cities — they are easygoing cities and very simple.
Worst holiday destination?
Istanbul. I didn’t like the people there. They were not very friendly and I don’t know how to communicate with unfriendly people or aggressive people who don’t smile.
Review: Netflix movie ‘The Piano Lesson’ is an intense family affair
Adaptation of August Wilson’s play is a heady, character-led drama
Updated 29 November 2024
Matt Ross
LONDON: To say “The Piano Lesson” is a family affair would be something of an understatement. This cinematic adaptation of August Wilson’s 1987 play follows a pair of siblings, locked in disagreement about a family heirloom — an engraved piano, ‘liberated’ from the Charles family’s ancestral enslavers and now residing in 1936’s Pittsburgh. But there’s a neat parallel, too, about the film’s journey to the big screen (and Netflix subscribers shortly thereafter), produced as it is by Denzel Washington, directed by son Malcom, co-produced by daughter Katia, and starring son John David Washington as Boy Willie.
Washington (John David, that is) reprises his role from the 2022 stage production, and is joined by fellow castmates Samuel L Jackson (Doaker), Ray Fisher (Lymon) and Michael Potts (Wining Boy).
Boy Willie wants to sell the piano and buy a plot of land following the untimely death of his employer, James Sutter. His sister Bearniece (Danielle Deadwyler), on the other hand, wants to keep it in the family as testament to the suffering endured by their ancestors. What’s more, Bearniece suspects Boy Willie had something to do with Sutter’s death, as she begins seeing the latter’s ghoulish specter around the house. Uncles Doaker and Wining Boy want peace and quiet, while Willie’s friend Lymon simply wants to escape his old life and start over.
It's a complicated, convoluted setup, and Washington (Malcolm, this time) skillfully takes his time establishing who is who, utilizing the kind of character-led exposition better suited for a stage play, in fact. The cast (as you’d expect, given their familiarity with the roles) all turn in powerhouse performances. A rendition of “O’ Berta” is a chilling standout, as is the simmering tension between widowed Bearniece and the affable Lymon.
The only place “The Piano Lesson” falls down is when it leaves the intense trappings of the family house, where it loses a little momentum as it ventures beyond the limits of the stage production. As good as it is, there’s a question of whether this needed remaking as a movie at all — but regardless, “The Piano Lesson” makes for a riveting, unsettling study on familial trauma and legacy.
Recipes for success: Chef Jonas Plangger at Myra Jeddah offers advice and a fruit madeleine recipe
Updated 29 November 2024
Adam Grundey
DUBAI: When German pastry chef Jonas Plangger first accepted the offer of a job in Saudi Arabia from Amro Bagedo, founder and CEO of Kraiv, three years ago (a job that has since involved overseeing the launch of the pattiserie and “all-day dining concept” Myra Jeddah, where he is the executive pastry chef), it nearly ended his marriage.
Plangger, no stranger to travelling abroad for work, took the job, he says, because his “gut feeling” once presented with the challenge made him say yes. Before he checked with his wife, who wasn’t especially impressed at not being consulted.
Fortunately, the move has paid off personally and professionally for Plangger and his family, who have now settled happily into life in the Kingdom.
Myra Jeddah, where Jonas Plangger is the executive pastry chef. (Supplied)
And Myra, he says, is thriving. “Breakfast trade is extremely strong. The lunch trade is extremely strong. And then the evening trade is where the most people eat cake,” he tells Arab News. “So we have a very strong customer base throughout the whole day.”
It’s a customer base he describes as a tough crowd.
“The Saudi customer is very, very challenging,” Plangger says. “Wants everything, wants it now, is very picky… but once convinced is the most loyal customer you can experience.
“We’re ready to transfer the brand to Riyadh. That’s the next step. I’m really looking forward to this. The company is growing. It’s really exciting times. My staff, they’ve all been with me from the beginning. I’m really proud of them. They’re really, really strong pastry chefs. We are proud of what we’re doing. If you compare what else is on the market, I think we can put our chests out a bit.”
What’s your top tip for amateurs?
The secret to all cooking — at home, in a professional kitchen, wherever — is to plan ahead. Take a piece of paper, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and follow those steps. What (inexperienced) chefs do, what I did myself… You want to do everything right now, everything all together. But that doesn’t work. The to-do list is crucial. Work clean and organized, have an idea of what you’re doing. Plan it through. Is the oven ready? Do I have my bowls? Do I have my sieve? Do I have my ingredients? Because when you suddenly need the flour, and it’s in a cupboard somewhere, and you need to call your mom, it ends in disaster.
What one ingredient can improve any dish?
For me, vanilla bean. I think it’s the turbo for every dessert, it gives everything an elegant touch — a bit of luxury. I’m obsessed with it. It’s an expensive ingredient, but it just adds another layer of flavor to everything,
And what’s the most underrated ingredient?
Probably cinnamon. Everyone knows you’ll have it in an apple crumble or a cinnamon roll or whatever, but, especially in the Middle East, cinnamon is used for so many different things. Even in pastry, or just a normal vanilla sponge, you add half a gram of cinnamon and it just lifts the whole thing up, without tasting of cinnamon. It’s very nice and very, very underrated.
When you go out to eat do you find yourself critiquing the food? Or are you able to switch off your ‘chef brain?’
No, I can’t. I’m really pleased if I like something on a personal and a professional level, it makes me very happy. But of course I start nitpicking. It’s normal. But it goes both ways. Yes, (chefs are) more critical, but if I find someone who puts effort in and the service is good and the food is good and the whole experience is good then I love praising people.
And what’s the most common issue that you find in other restaurants?
Lack of seasoning. I can forgive a lot, you know? Like it might be a busy restaurant… so service (might suffer). Maybe it’s not to your personal liking. But if the food is bland, that’s just a lack of care. Because it means the chef didn’t taste his food.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
Italian. It’s the simplicity of it. Simplicity and flavor. I absolutely love pasta. I was in Italy recently and it’s a different game. It’s, like, four, five, six ingredients. I love it.
What’s your favorite dish to cook?
Black Forest gateaux. I’m from the Black Forest. We take that very, very seriously. It’s a joy to make. It’s where I come from. It’s my identity. That’s why I really enjoy doing it.
I’d imagine that’s quite a lot of pressure the first time you make one?
To be fair, at the bakery where I was an apprentice, we made like, 80 a day. I really learned it from scratch in the Black Forest.
What customer behavior most frustrates you?
When someone seasons the food without trying it. Yeah, I can’t deal. I think it’s very rude. It disrespects the chef. At least try it.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to perfect?
From a chef’s point of view, the most difficult is anything that is very clean and very neat, and you don’t have a lot of flavors going on. You have nowhere to hide. Obviously, pastry chefs are very good at hiding (things) by chocolate. I think sushi is one of the most difficult to get right, because you have rice and you have fish. That’s it. If the rice is not spot on, or the fish is not spot on, or the technique is not spot on… see you later. In the pastry world, I think that goes more for baking, like, a croissant, say. You make a simple mistake there, in the lamination or in the proving… People don’t understand how much effort goes into a single croissant.
In the kitchen, what are you like as a leader?
Firm but fair. I’m very passionate. Extremely passionate. Things get a bit wild. But I love to lead. I love to teach to let people grow. Discipline is crucial. I have a big Michelin background, and without discipline… don’t even start. My team is from all parts of the world, but we all have one common path to guide us; that’s the discipline.
Chef Jonas’ fruit madeleines
WARNING: You’ll need a madeleine baking pan (pan with small shell-shaped molds) and a piping bag.
For the fruit mixture (all fruits should be dry): 50g dates; 50g apricots; 50g cherry; 50g mango; 50g raisins; 1 vanilla stick; zest of 1 orange; 3g cinnamon; 300g stock syrup
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Mix the eggs, honey and sugar in a bowl or processor for 3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Sieve together the baking powder, all-purpose flour and salt and fold under.
3. Add melted butter and vanilla essence.
4. Combine both mixtures together and mix until it becomes firm.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but ideally for 12 hours.
6. In a separate bowl, put all the ingredients for the fruit mixture, including the syrup, and allow to soak for at least 2 hours, but ideally for 12 hours.
7. Combine the batter with the fruit mixture, put in a piping bag. Line your madeleine molds with grease and flour. Pipe the mix into the molds.
8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 165 C for 11-13 minutes.
