Alkhobar offers a visual feast with 56 works exploring new realities
Artists from Saudi Arabia and the world are screening creations
Kingdom’s Lina Saeed Qattan showing ‘Lena and the Magic Carpet’
Updated 4 min 9 sec ago
Jasmine Bager
ALKHOBAR: The sixth International Video Art Forum launched this week at the Cinema Society headquarters in Alkhobar, offering a visual feast for afficionados.
Organized by the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, in collaboration with the Cinema Society, the event runs for 10 days and will feature groundbreaking video art from around the globe.
A jury of experts selected 56 artworks, narrowed down from 127. And the space showcases work from 29 countries, narrowed down from 41.
The forum has become one of the region’s top international platforms for video art, having featured more than 823 artworks from over 70 countries. (Supplied)
“There is no particular theme this year — aside from it being within the realm of ‘imagination embodied, reality transformed,’” Yousef Al-Harbi, director of SASCA’s Dammam branch and general supervisor of the forum, told Arab News.
“This year’s works continue to express the transformation of imaginative ideas and perceptions into tangible works of art that can have an impact on the reality that we live in.”
The videos can be watched in the upstairs space, which is covered with a black cloth door. Only three people can watch the short films as they play on a loop.
This year’s works continue to express the transformation of imaginative ideas and perceptions into tangible works of art that can have an impact on the reality that we live in.
Yousef Al-Harbi, Saudi Society for Culture and Arts director
The longest video is 7 minutes and the shortest under a minute.
A notable video is the 3-minute “Choreography of Space and Time” by German-based Egyptian artist Ehab Aziz that blends abstract imagery and dynamic movement.
In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Lina Saeed Qattan’s minute-long “Lena and the Magic Carpet,” uses artificial intelligence to showcase vibrant colors as Lena travels through the desert.
Organized by the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, in collaboration with the Cinema Association, the Video Art Forum will feature video art from around the globe. (Supplied)
Arab News spoke with the 21-year-old Yemeni director, Yousef Ahmed, who has lived his entire life in the Eastern Province, about his short film, “Dose.”
“The film is about a depressed person who replaces his medication with sweets after reading a newspaper article,” he explained.
“It explores his journey of shifting perspectives — rising out of his sadness, only to sometimes fall back into it. We’ve all had days like this, and that’s completely normal.”
The film, under a minute long, was shot and edited entirely on a mobile phone over a month, specifically for the forum. “The phone is always available and accessible,” he said.
He added that finding the right music and fitting it into a larger format such as a TV screen was a challenge.
Workshops dedicated to AI and painting with light, were also part of the programming, as well as panel discussions with filmmakers and artists.
The forum has become one of the region’s top international platforms for video art, having featured more than 823 artworks from over 70 countries.
It has also hosted 31 lectures and workshops, offering artists a unique opportunity to connect and share their work with a global audience.
The winners will be announced at the conclusion of the event.
Omar Abduljabbar highlighted the authority’s concentration on human capital and its consistent attempts to empower and support national talent to drive its mission forward
Updated 3 sec ago
SPA
HAIL: Great Place To Work, the global workplace culture organization, has ranked Hail Region Development Authority as fourth among the best public sector workplaces in the Kingdom.
The recognition underscores the authority’s commitment to cultivating a positive workplace culture, enhancing employee experiences, and strengthening the body’s reputation.
Omar Abduljabbar, the CEO of Hail Region Development Authority, said that the ranking reflected the authority’s commitment to fostering a positive and empowering work culture.
He highlighted the authority’s concentration on human capital and its consistent attempts to empower and support national talent to drive its mission forward.
Abduljabbar stressed the authority’s dedication to regularly assessing employee satisfaction, and attributed its achievement to its unwavering focus on creating a supportive, innovation-driven atmosphere that enhanced productivity and aligned with strategic objectives.
Pakistan president receives Saudi Shoura Council speaker in Islamabad
Sheikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Pakistani president
Updated 1 min 57 sec ago
Arab News
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Shoura Council Speaker Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sheikh was received by Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad as part of his official visit, reported Saudi Press Agency.
Sheikh Abdullah conveyed the greetings of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Pakistani president, as well as their well wishes for the government and the continued progress and prosperity of the country’s people.
During the meeting, the two men reviewed bilateral relations between the two nations and ways in which they could be enhanced. Other topics of common interest were also discussed.
Separately, teams in the Jeddah region rescued and assisted five Saudis after their marine vessel ran aground
Updated 28 sec ago
SPA
RIYADH: Border Guard land patrols in Al-Raboah, Asir, have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 29,985 tablets subject to the medical trading system. Preliminary legal measures have been completed and the seized narcotics handed over to the competent authority.
Saudi security services urge citizens and residents to report any activities related to drug smuggling or trafficking. Informants can contact the authorities by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Region, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom.
They can also contact the General Directorate of Narcotics Control by telephone on 995 or via email at [email protected].
Separately, teams in the Jeddah region rescued and assisted five Saudis after their marine vessel ran aground.
Date announced for Modon Excellence Award winners reveal
The initiative reflects Modon’s ambitions of cultivating a world-class industrial environment
Updated 20 December 2024
Arab News
RIYADH: The Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, known as Modon, has announced the winners of the Modon Excellence Award will be revealed on Dec. 22.
The initiative, under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef, reflects Modon’s ambitions of cultivating a world-class industrial environment, embracing best practices in digital transformation, research and innovation, and promoting business sustainability.
It also aims to empower women in the workplace and enhance the leadership role of factories by adopting Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and developing innovative products.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Human Capacity Development Faris Al-Saqabi said the Modon Excellence Award was designed to inspire positive competition among factories and individuals in the industrial sector.
He added innovation and collaboration were pivotal in driving societal progress and cultivating a sustainable, thriving industrial environment. The award highlights groundbreaking initiatives that reflect creativity and dedication while promoting innovation and raising industrial standards.
Mamdooh Al-Drees, Modon’s deputy CEO, said the award was launched to promote healthy competition within the industrial sector and encourage excellence among participants. He added it also sought to foster an environment that nurtured creativity and innovation, ultimately improving operational efficiency and boosting production.
Ultimately, it seeks to enhance the ecosystem of industrial cities and technology zones by promoting sustainable environmental practices in production, advancing adoption of cutting-edge industrial technologies, and encouraging improvements in product and service quality. It also aims to drive the integration of automation across diverse operations and processes.
The first edition of the award, launched under the theme “Makers of Excellence,” features three main categories: Individuals, with subcategories for Leadership Excellence and Promising Woman; Small Enterprises; and Medium and Large Industrial Enterprises.
These recognize excellence in several key areas including environmental sustainability, innovation and leadership in industry, digital transformation, social responsibility, and human capacity development.
