Noor Riyadh references Saudi Arabia’s past and rapidly changing present

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Abdullah AlOthman - Casino AlRiyadh, 2021 - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Ahmad Angawi - Proportion of Light, 2021 - Wood and engraved glass 230 x 80 cm - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art 2021.
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Ahmed Mater - Antenna (Green), 2010 - From the series Antenna 150 x 150 x 50 cm - Courtesy of a private collection - Photo © Riyadh Art 2021.
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Ahmed Mater - Mitochondria: Powerhouses, 2021 - Tesla coil machine, fulgurite sculptures, sand 1400x1400x200 cm - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Aleksandra Stratimirovic - Northern Lights, 2015 - Programmed LED Width 5000 cm - Courtesy the artist and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Aleksandra Stratimirovic - Northern Lights, 2015 - Programmed LED Width 5000 cm - Courtesy the artist and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Ali Alruzaiza - Tribute to Ali Alruzaiza, 2021 - Video projection - Video design by Sara Caliumi and Carlo Camorali - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Amigo&Amigo - Parabolic Lightcloud, 2018 - 1082 light pixels, 800 m recycled rope, 9m diameter - Courtesy the artists and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Amigo&Amigo - Parabolic Lightcloud, 2018 - 1082 light pixels, 800 m recycled rope, 9m diameter - Courtesy the artists and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Angelo Bonello - Run Beyond, 2015 - Iron and LED lights 5300 cm - Courtesy the artist and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Angelo Bonello - Run Beyond, 2015 - Iron and LED lights 5300 cm - Courtesy the artist and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Ayman Yossri - Daydban Somewhere beautiful, 2021 - Film stills on TV monitor - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art 2021.
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Ayman Zedani - Earthseed, 2021 - 3-channel video installation Dimensions variable - Courtesy the artist - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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Carsten Höller - Light Wall (Outdoor Version), 2021 - 1,100 LED bulbs, digital control unit, sound, steel panels, structural elements, wiring, cables 600x400x275 cm. - Unique - Courtesy the artist and MASSIMODECARLO - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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SKALAR, 2021 - Reflections on Light and Sound Light and sound installation - Courtesy the artists - Photo by Christopher Bauder.
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SKALAR, 2021 - Reflections on Light and Sound Light and sound installation - Courtesy the artists - Photo by Christopher Bauder.
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Company New Heroes - We Light Riyadh, 2021 - 808 lamps, approx. 6000x3000 cm - Courtesy the artists and Light Art Collection - Photo © Riyadh Art.
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy. (SPA/Supplied)
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Updated 23 March 2021
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Noor Riyadh references Saudi Arabia’s past and rapidly changing present

  • Undeterred by the pandemic, the festival lights up the capital with over 60 artworks by international and Saudi artists

RIYADH: For 17 days, the city of Riyadh will be transformed into an open-air art gallery with more than 33 light installations across the Kingdom’s capital.

Noor Riyadh, the mammoth festival of lights, inaugurated its first edition on Thursday, March 18, in the midst of the global pandemic. This pivotal creative event aims not only to celebrate the breadth of artistry exemplified through the work of the over 60 participating international and Saudi artists but also the advent of the Kingdom’s push for a greater creative economy.
On the grounds of the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s prestigious Diplomatic Quarter is a lone pop-up coffee shop — emblematic, one could say, of Saudi Arabia’s popular pastime. Yet there is something different about this particular coffee bar. Poetic Arabic phrases cover the pop-up’s exterior, illuminated in a soft glow. When translated into English, they read: “I am the one coming from the dreamy city. What should I write?”




"Colored Triangles by Myriad, for Riyadh” work in situ: KAFD Conference Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2020-2021
Auto-adhesive colored transparent vinyls
Courtesy the artist and GALLERIACONTINUA
Photo © Riyadh Art.


Titled “Ricochet,” the pop-up is a light artwork by the youngest artist in the first edition of the festival, Nojoud Alsudairi, who addresses public space through Arabic poetry. When visitors grab a cup of coffee, the cup itself is covered with poetic phrases, such as “In your land, generosity, always” or “I have no other place.” Al-Sudairi’s performative architecture installation is very much rooted in the present time and the effects of the pandemic on city life.

During Riyadh’s quarantine, Alsudairi, 26, collected haikus, a Japanese poetic form, and deconstructed phrases from letters written by residents of Riyadh to their city. Additional luminous signs from “Ricochet” can be found around the city, extending the artwork across Riyadh’s eclectic urban landscape.
“My work started during the pandemic as a research project into how Riyadh residents interacted with their city during quarantine,” said Alsudairi. “I began asking people I know to send short phrases on how they were seeing the city through their windows, and this gave me the idea to incorporate literature into the project through signage around the city.




Dan Firman
Butterfly, 2007
Neon tubes
350 x 635 cm
Courtesy the artist and the Farjam Collection 
Photo © Riyadh Art 2021.

“The result was a visual essay on how signage in Riyadh was becoming the interface of the city. Driving through the streets in Riyadh at night, one can see how the city has become an experience of this electric landscape, of all of these words and sentences forming odd pieces of abstract poetry.”
Until April 3, the city of Riyadh will be transformed into an open-air gallery, illuminated by large-scale light installations. As Raneem Farsi, the Saudi curator of the exhibition, notes, what makes the exhibition dynamic is “that Noor Riyadh has included numerous Saudi artists, many of whom have been commissioned to make pieces especially for the exhibition.”

HIGHLIGHT

On the grounds of the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s prestigious Diplomatic Quarter is a lone pop-up coffee shop — emblematic, one could say, of Saudi Arabia’s popular pastime. Yet there is something different about this particular coffee bar. Poetic Arabic phrases cover the pop-up’s exterior, illuminated in a soft glow. When translated into English, they read: ‘I am the one coming from the dreamy city. What should I write?’

The artworks, which encompass a range of media, including music, sculpture and performance, can be found in two main areas: The King Abdul Aziz Historical Center and the King Abdullah Financial District, where visitors can also view “Light Upon Light,” an exhibition of light art from the 1960s to the present, which is on view until June 12.
While the global art community will have to view the artworks virtually, Saudis have already been flocking to the venues in record numbers.
“One of the most critical aspects of Vision 2030 is the flourishing of the Saudi creative economy, which we are trying to foster, and this is one of the main highlights of Noor Riyadh as a program,” Anas Najmi, adviser to the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, told Arab News. “Despite all of the challenges of the pandemic, we managed to give the experience to 15,000 visitors in just one day. Secondly, over 1,200 jobs were created as part of the Noor Riyadh festival, half of which are for Saudis.”
One aim of the festival is to attract visitors to sites in Riyadh that are not so often frequented, including the King Fahd National Library, the Diplomatic Quarter and JAX, the industrial zone of Diriyah.




Leo Villareal
Corona, 2018
LED monitors, custom software and electrical hardware
145.1 x 248.6 x 16.5 cm
Courtesy of the artist, Pace Gallery and Superblue
Photo © Riyadh Art 2021.

“Light Upon Light,” the main exhibition, showcases a thorough survey of the history of light art through the display of works by leading international artists from the movement, including Dan Flavin, James Turrell, Lucio Fontana, Julio Le Parc and Robert Irwin, alongside contemporary art world superstars such as Urs Fischer and Yayoi Kusama. Also featured are the works of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent emerging and established artists: Nasser Al-Salem, Manal AlDowayan, Rashed AlShashai, Sultan bin Fahad, Dana Awartani, Maha Malluh, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Ahmed Mater, Ahmad Angawi, Abdullah AlOthman, Sarah Abu Abdallah and Mohammad AlFaraj.
“To my understanding, it is the first time that light art has been shown here in the Kingdom, and for that reason alone it is significant,” curator Susan Davidson told Arab News. “What is also significant is the impact I hope it will have on the people of Saudi Arabia. Art takes many different forms, and it can bring a level of well-being and joy into your life. This works very well with Vision 2030 in terms of making Riyadh in particular a very viable and livable city.”




Daniel Canogar
Bifurcation, 2021
Multi laser projection
Courtesy the artist
Photo © Riyadh Art.


Light works by Saudi artists reference both Saudi’s ancient past and its present through conceptual forms. For example, Sultan bin Fahad’s “Once Was A Ruler” (2019) is a series of composites from his photography of ancient sculptures of monarchs from the ancient Arabian kingdom of Lihyan, merged with his own bodily X-rays. Abdullah Al-Othman’s “Casino AlRiyadh” (2021) takes the form of a neon-colored sign that imitates the unique anatomy of the city of Riyadh and draws inspiration from the lighted signage throughout the city. It also references former places for gathering in Riyadh.
Perhaps the most powerful marriage of old and new Saudi through the medium of light art can be found in Robert Wilson’s piece “PALACE OF LIGHT” (2021).




UxU Studio
Illusion Hole, 2020
Metal, LED Lights, wood
200x200x40cm
Courtesy the artists and Light Art Collection
Photo © Riyadh Art.

The work consists of two parts: Multiple performative light elements that dress the landscape of At-Turaif — the historic district of Diriyah and first capital of the Saudi dynasty dating back to 1766 — and a large copper dish placed in front of the palace that, when the light performance is played, seems to be rising out of the sea as the curved edges of Diriyah’s mudbrick structure is covered with projected images of moving waves.
The emotional performance was quickly consumed and widely shared on social media platforms, giving the world a taste of the brilliance of Noor Riyadh. As Davidson said: “Many things get around in the art world through whispers. Even those who could not attend this monumental show will hear about it.”


‘Disney movies unite us,’ says Louaye Moulayess as he promotes ‘Moana 2’

Updated 24 November 2024
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‘Disney movies unite us,’ says Louaye Moulayess as he promotes ‘Moana 2’

DUBAI: From a young age, Lebanese animator Louaye Moulayess has loved Disney movies.

Speaking to Arab News about his latest project, “Moana 2,” which is released in cinemas in the Middle East on Nov. 28, Moulayess said diverse voice is what makes Disney storytelling so compelling.

From a young age, Lebanese animator Louaye Moulayess has loved Disney movies. (Supplied)

“We all grew up with different kinds of stories told to us, right? I grew up with specific Lebanese stories. For example, if I turned on the TV in Lebanon as compared to somebody in Lisbon, for example, we’re going to watch different things. Our sensibilities are going to be a bit different. Now we all have something in common, which is Disney movies,” he told Arab News.

At a time when his home country, Lebanon, is defending against Israeli attacks, US-based Moulayess finds comfort in his work and storytelling. “It all comes back to the stories my grandparents and parents told me,” he said, adding that Disney movies have always brought him hope.

“Moana 2,” set in ancient Polynesia, picks up three years after the events of the 2016 original. Moana (voiced by Auli’i Cravalho) receives an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors and forms her own crew to travel the vast seas of Oceania, reuniting with her shapeshifting, magical friend, Maui (Dwayne Johnson).

“I loved the first movie. When I started working on ‘Moana 2,’ I felt like I already knew the characters very well. So, I knew Moana and I knew Maui … I knew how they moved, I knew what their personalities were. But, at the same time, they became somebody else three years after.

“So, the challenge was a bit different compared a new movie, where we would have had to figure out the characters and how they moved and how they behave. The challenge here was, I know this character, but this character has changed. How do we make it new and find the specificity of this new personality?” Moulayess said.

When asked what sparked his interest in animation, Moulayess pointed to Disney again. “I think the moment I made my decision was after watching ‘Lion King.’ Like the first sequence of the ‘Circle of Life,’ after that when everything goes black and you see the title of the movie. It really shocked me in the best way. I was like, ‘Who is this Walt Disney?’ I thought it was one person doing this back when I was a kid, because I saw the name Walt Disney. I was like, ‘It must be one person doing this.’ And I decided I’d do this one day. So, this is what triggered everything. And slowly, I just gravitated towards animation,” he said.

Now based in Burbank, California, Moulayess left Lebanon for the US as a young student.

“In Lebanon, when I graduated high school, I looked around for majors that had animation, but back then, there wasn’t anything available. Now there are a couple schools that offer animation majors.

“Back then, I knew I had to leave to make my studies, so I went to San Francisco and joined a school called Academy of Art University in San Francisco,” Moulayess said.

After four years of university, Moulayess landed himself an internship with Pixar Animation Studios. “I was very, very lucky that I did an internship there, where I worked on ‘Cars 2,’” he said.

From there, he moved on to Blue Sky Studios for “seven wonderful years,” working on the “Ice Age” films, “The Peanuts Movie” and “Ferdinand,” before making his way to Disney in 2019, working on “Frozen 2” before taking on “Raya and the Last Dragon.” 


Fans praise co-star as May Calamawy’s role is cut from ‘Gladiator II’

Updated 24 November 2024
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Fans praise co-star as May Calamawy’s role is cut from ‘Gladiator II’

DUBAI: Fans of Egyptian Palestinian “Moon Knight” actress May Calamawy have taken to social media to complain after almost all her scenes were cut from Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” while co-star Pedro Pascal seemed to wade into the online debate this week by sharing behind-the-scenes shots including the actress.

Pascal posted a series of photographs on Instagram taken on the film shoot in Morocco, including several snaps with Calamawy, after she was removed from all promotional material and largely removed from the film.

“Thank you for reminding people May Calamawy was in ‘Gladiator II.’ So sad how she’s been treated in this,” one user commented on his Instagram post.

The 38-year-old star played the dual role of Layla El-Faouly and Scarlet Scarab in Marvel series “Moon Knight” before being cast in the highly anticipated “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the Oscar-winning original released in 2000.

Her casting in the film was first announced in May 2023.

At the time, Deadline reported that Scott had cast Calamawy after a lengthy search, writing: “While many of the leading roles were straight offers, Scott wanted to do a similar search he did for the (Paul) Mescal part for the role that Calamawy ultimately landed.

“Given the importance of the character to the story, Scott wanted a thorough search, and following multiple auditions Calamawy landed the part,” Deadline added.

However, fans noticed that in the final cut, which hit cinemas last weekend, Calamawy is only seen in passing and she has no dialogue.

Scott has yet to comment on Calamawy’s removal from the two hour and 28-minute film, although her storyline may have not made it past the editing stage in order to trim the runtime.

Regardless, fans on social media are unhappy about the cuts.

“May Calamawy you will always be loved!!! They didn’t deserve you anyway,” one social media user wrote on X, while another posted: “You had May Calamawy … and you decided to cut her? This could’ve possibly been her breakout role!”

Calamawy also stars in upcoming crime mystery “The Actor,” alongside André Holland, Gemma Chan, Toby Jones and Tracey Ullman.


Pakistan’s Iram Parveen Bilal bags Best Director award for ‘Wakhri’ at Indian film festival

Updated 24 November 2024
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Pakistan’s Iram Parveen Bilal bags Best Director award for ‘Wakhri’ at Indian film festival

  • Wakhri, meaning one of a kind, is inspired by life of murdered Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch
  • Yellowstone International Film Festival is an Indian festival that showcases films from around the world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani director Iram Parveen Bilal this week bagged the Best Director Feature Film award at the fifth Yellowstone International Film Festival, held in India’s New Delhi, for her film “Wakhri.”
Wakhri, meaning one of a kind in the Punjabi language, was inspired by the life of murdered Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch. The film’s plot revolves around the challenges faced by a widowed schoolteacher named Noor, who becomes a social media sensation overnight. 
Yellowstone International Film Festival is an Indian film festival that showcases films from around the world, providing a platform for filmmakers. With special categories such as women empowerment films, environmental films and student films, this year’s YIFF was held from Nov. 15-20 in New Delhi. 
“Thank you for the honor, [YIFF] jury and organizers,” Bilal wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “[Wakhri] shines brightest with its audiences. Deep gratitude to my entire team, cast and crew alike, for enhancing my vision every step of the way.”
Wakhri had its world premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December 2023 before its release in Pakistan on Jan. 5 this year. 
Written by Bilal and Mehrub Moiz Awan, Wakhri has been produced by Abid Aziz Merchant, Apoorva Bakshi and Bilal’s Parveen Shah Productions.
The film stars prominent Pakistani actress Faryal Mehmood in the lead role, Gulshan Mated, Sajjad Gul, Salem Mairaj, Sohail Sameer, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Akbar Islam, Tooba Siddiqui, Behjat Nizami and Bushra Habib.


Bella Hadid guest stars on ‘Holland’s Next Top Model’ alongside her mother

Updated 23 November 2024
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Bella Hadid guest stars on ‘Holland’s Next Top Model’ alongside her mother

DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian model Bella Hadid shared a series of images from her experience as a guest judge on “Holland’s Next Top Model,” the reality series where her mother, Yolanda Hadid, serves as one of the judges.

The post features a carousel of photos and videos, including moments with her mother, the show’s judges and contestants, as well as behind-the-scenes shots from various photoshoots.

In the caption, the runway star expressed her excitement about her fragrance brand, Orebella, being featured on the episode, describing it as “a dream.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid)

She said: “Thank you @hollandsnexttopmodelnl for having me on as a guest judge! To have @orebella be shot, on a show so dear to my heart, in my most beautiful Holland, was a dream.”

Hadid also reflected on her admiration for her mother. “To watch my mama work and be a second mama to a new generation of young creative human beings is such a blessing to me! Things that my mom can teach, she wasn’t taught. It’s part of who she is,” she said. “Her talent, nurturing ability, maternal instincts, confidence in hard work and success, faith in people and love for fashion is what makes her so special, especially on a show like this. I am so proud of you, mama.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid)

The model described the transformative journey of the contestants on the show. “This was just an incredible experience to watch these young women and men push themselves but also grow to know themselves better than when they arrived,” she added. “I saw so much of myself in every one of them, and I am proud of each one for getting through a competition that I know for sure is mentally and physically exhausting.”

Hadid launched her brand in May with three fragrances: Salted Muse, Blooming Fire and Window2Soul.

In August, she expanded her collection with the launch of a new scent called Nightcap, described as a “warm and spicy” fragrance featuring notes of ginger, cardamom and vanilla.

For the launch, she hosted a party in West Hollywood, where she wore a dusty-pink gown with delicate embroidery and bow detail from Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad.


Part-Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair fronts Balmain’s Resort 2025 campaign

Updated 23 November 2024
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Part-Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair fronts Balmain’s Resort 2025 campaign

DUBAI: French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair this week shared pictures from her latest campaign with Balmain, showcasing the brand’s Resort 2025 collection.

In one of the images, Al-Zuhair donned a strapless denim mini dress paired with two matching denim handbags and calf-high black boots.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Balmain (@balmain)

In the second image, she wore a black sequined two-piece outfit, featuring a crop top and a high-waisted skirt. The design incorporates gold and silver embellishments, with the top featuring the word “L’aime,” meaning “loves” in French. The setting, with the Eiffel Tower in the background, tied the look to the brand’s Parisian roots.

This is not Al-Zuhair’s first collaboration with Balmain. She previously walked for the brand during Paris Fashion Week in September.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Balmain (@balmain)

She showcased a structured gray blazer over a classic black T-shirt, complemented by vibrant red suede over-the-knee boots that added a bold pop of color. Her ensemble was completed with a neutral-toned shoulder bag and a striking gold pendant necklace.

The model has been spending the week in Dubai and shared a moment on Instagram featuring an advertisement she spotted for Maison Alaia in Dubai Mall. “Casually shopping in Dubai Mall … and look who I found,” she said in the caption.

Al-Zuhair also shared a photo of herself having lunch with a friend at Al Mandaloun, a Lebanese restaurant in Dubai.