DUBLIN: Irish pop singer Sinead O’Connor, who converted to Islam and changed her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat in 2018, has died at the age of 56, Irish media reported on Wednesday.
Her family said it was with “great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” Irish national broadcaster RTE reported.
Born in County Dublin, O’Connor made 10 albums in her career from “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” to 2014’s “I’m not Bossy, I’m the Boss,” and was best known for her cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” released in 1990.
Ireland’s President Michael Higgins said Ireland had lost “one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades.”
He praised O’Connor’s “fearless commitment to the important issues which she brought to public attention, no matter how uncomfortable those truths may have been.”
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said O’Connor’s “music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.”
“Condolences to her family, her friends and all who loved her music,” he added.
Instantly recognizable with her trademark shaved head, O’Connor courted controversy throughout her career, speaking out frequently against the Catholic Church.
Beginning her career busking on the streets of the Irish capital and performing in pubs, she recorded her first album “The Lion and the Cobra” — a punk cult classic released in 1987 — in London.
The artist said she had been abused by her mother as a child and in 1992 protested the abuse of children by the Catholic Church, tearing up a picture of Pope John Paul II while performing on US television program “Saturday Night Live.”
In recent years O’Connor had melded her outspoken political views with spiritualism and was ordained as a priest amid controversy in 1999.
Writing on Twitter, which is being rebranded as ‘X’, Canadian singer Bryan Adams wrote: “RIP Sinead O’Connor, I loved working with you making photos, doing gigs in Ireland together and chats, all my love to your family.”
Irish comedian Dara O Briain said O’Connor’s death came as “just very sad news. Poor thing.”
“I hope she realized how much love there was for her,” he said.
Irish mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor commented on the singer’s death writing: “The world has lost an artist with the voice of an Angel.
“Ireland has lost an iconic voice and one of our absolute finest, by a long shot. And I have lost a friend.”
British pop singer Alison Moyet said O’Connor had a voice that “cracked stone with force by increment.”
“As beautiful as any girl around & never traded on that card. I Loved that about her. Iconoclast,” she added.
Lead singer for 90s rock band The Charlatans Tim Burgess wrote: “Sinead was the true embodiment of a punk spirit.
“She did not compromise and that made her life more of a struggle. Hoping that she has found peace.”
“It is hard to think of an artist who has had the social and cultural impact of Sinead,” Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland wrote in reaction to her death.
“What a loss. Heartfelt condolences to her children, her family and all who loved her,” he added.
O’Connor had also spoken publicly about her mental health struggles, telling Oprah Winfrey in 2007 that she struggled with thoughts of suicide and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
More recently she had shunned the limelight, in particular following the death of her son Shane from suicide last year at the age of 17.
O’Connor is survived by three children and had reportedly been dividing her time between Ireland and Britain prior to her death.
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor dies aged 56
https://arab.news/8rz38
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor dies aged 56
Lahore’s ‘Roses of Humanity’ art installation honors Gaza children killed in Israeli strikes
- Israel’s 18-month war on Gaza has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children
- The installation features thousands of fabric roses, each representing a child whose life was cut short
ISLAMABAD: The Alhamra Arts Council in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore has opened an immersive art installation for visitors to honor the memory of children killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, highlighting the devastating human toll of the war.
Israel’s 18-month offensive against Hamas has killed more than 52,000 people, many of them women and children, and displaced more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population, Palestinian officials say. The Israeli military has also blockaded aid to the Gaza Strip since March.
In remembrance of the innocent lives lost in Gaza, the Lahore-based Labour & Love social enterprise, in collaboration with The Fundraisers BBS, has set up the installation at the Ustad Allah Bux Gallery, encouraging reflection on the situation in Gaza,
The installation features thousands of hand stitched fabric roses, each one representing a child whose life was cut short, transformed into a symbolic garden of remembrance, enveloped in evocative soundscapes, gentle fragrance and thoughtful lighting design.
“A total of 15,000 fabric roses represents the number of children reported killed in Gaza by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as of June 2024 a number that, heartbreakingly, has since grown,” said Nuria Iqbal, who curated the installation.
“Together, these roses form a radiant tribute to humanity, reminding us that dignity flourishes when we are seen, heard and held in compassion.”
The installation will be on display at the gallery from May 18.
Iqbal shared that each of the roses was crafted from discarded fabric, once cast aside and now reborn in beauty, symbolizing the forgotten lives of the children of Gaza.
“The varied colors and textures of the fabric reflect the rich diversity of creation and the strength of unity amidst difference,” she added.
The development comes at a time when Hamas has dismissed as pointless ceasefire talks with Israel, accusing it of waging a “hunger war” on Gaza where famine looms, as the Israeli military prepares for a broader assault.
The comments from Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim on Tuesday followed Israel’s approval of a military plan involving the long-term “conquest of the Gaza Strip,” according to an Israeli official.
The former Gaza health minister said the world must pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to end the “crimes of hunger, thirst, and killings.”
AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris
- Initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia
- Artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program
RIYADH: A cultural institution in AlUla plans to select a Saudi artist to host a residency in Paris in an effort to promote French artisanal traditions in the Kingdom.
The artist will be chosen by Basmah Felemban and Gael Charbau, artistic directors of AlUla’s Villa Hegra.
A collaboration with the Mobilier National, a French governmental body that produces and preserves artisanal furniture, the initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia.
The artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program.
Villa Hegra is a planned initiative that hosts a variety of artist residencies, creative spaces for cultural initiatives, an exhibition hall, a cinema and performance art studio.
The partnership between Villa Hegra and the Mobilier National will also involve displaying a selection of design pieces from the French organization’s collections at AlUla.
Herve Lemoine, the president of Manufactures Nationales, said: “This partnership continues the Mobilier National’s rich tradition of collaboration with cultural villas, bringing French artisanal excellence to creative spaces around the world.”
Feriel Fodil, the CEO of Villa Hegra, said: “This long-term collaboration also strengthens Villa Hegra’s primary mission: To promote artistic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, while celebrating their respective artisanal heritages.”
Villa Hegra was officially announced in an intergovernmental agreement signed on Dec. 4, 2021, by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, then-French minister for foreign affairs.
One of Villa Hegra’s goals is to foster cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France.
Fodil previously told Arab News’ French edition: “It is a state-to-state initiative that represents the willingness of two parties to collaborate at the cultural level.”
Deal signed to promote traditional arts in Saudi Arabia
- Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and Namaa Almunawara sign strategic MoU
- Aim is to advance the creative economy and preserve national cultural heritage
RIYADH: The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and Namaa Almunawara signed a strategic memorandum of understanding in Riyadh to foster collaboration in supporting traditional arts.
The aim is to advance the creative economy and preserve national cultural heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The MoU focuses on key areas: building human capacity through training programs and workshops, offering consulting services, and designing specialized initiatives.
It also aims to strengthen the handicrafts sector by launching entrepreneurial initiatives, enhancing craft products, and empowering emerging talents.
Additionally, it includes organizing local and international events and developing community-focused traditional arts initiatives.
The institute plays a key role in promoting Saudi traditional arts locally and internationally, supporting artisans, and encouraging the teaching and development of these crafts.
The Ministry of Culture has designated 2025 the Year of Handicrafts to celebrate cultural heritage and promote the creation, preservation, and modern relevance of handicrafts. It will host events, exhibitions, educational programs, and competitions throughout the year.
Gerard Butler to touch down in Riyadh for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ premiere
DUBAI: Riyadh will host the first stop of the international press tour for “How to Train Your Dragon,” the live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s film franchise, with actor Gerard Butler set to arrive in the Kingdom this May.
Butler returns as Stoick the Vast in the upcoming film, slated for release on June 12.
“How to Train Your Dragon” is directed by three-time Oscar nominee Dean DeBlois, the filmmaker behind the original animated trilogy.
“On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup (Mason Thames; The Black Phone, For All Mankind) stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler, reprising his voice role from the animated franchise), Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking societ,” the film’s logline reads.
“As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader,” the logline adds.
The film also stars Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Bodies), Bronwyn James (Wicked), Harry Trevaldwyn (Smothered), Ruth Codd (The Midnight Club), BAFTA nominee Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Murray McArthur (Game of Thrones).
Works by renowned 20th-century Latin American artists presented in new exhibition in Doha
DOHA: One of revered Mexican artist Diego Rivera’s best-known paintings is now on display at the National Museum of Qatar. Titled “Baile en Tehuantepec” (“Dance in Tehuantepec”) and completed in 1920, it depicts a group of female Oaxacan dancers dressed in bright costumes poised to begin the Zandunga dance. The painting, like others by Riviera at the time, aimed to depict the social life of Mexico. With time, the work, exhibited a few years later at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, became one of the most expensive paintings in Latin American art.
Nearly a century after Riviera painted the work, it is on show in Doha in “LATINOAMERICANO,” a comprehensive exhibition running until July 19. Showcasing over 170 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, installation, video, photographs, films and archival documentation by over 100 artists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Paraguay, Mexico, Venezuela and Uruguay, the exhibition offers an in-depth look at Latin American art from 1900 to the present in what marks the first-ever show of its kind in West Asia and North Africa for the genre.
The exhibition, organized in partnership with Qatar Museums, is a pivotal aspect of the Qatar, Argentina and Chile 2025 Year of Culture. It presents modern and contemporary artworks from the collections of Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires, Eduardo F. Costantini and Qatar Museums institutions like Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and the Future Art Mill Museum, among others.
Curated by Issa Al-Shirawi, a Qatari curator, researcher and head of international exhibitions at Qatar Museums, and Maria Amalia Garcia, curator in chief at Malba, the show ambitiously strives to capture the diverse art and culture of an entire continent.
“The exhibition promotes an exchange of knowledge through art, continuing Qatar Museums’ emphasis on showing art histories from underrated and underappreciated art histories,” Al-Shirawi told Arab News, underlining how Latin American artists have consistently challenged narratives, readapted local traditions and influenced artistic movements across the world.
There are several pieces Al-Shirawi notes that highlight the artistic exchange between the Middle East and Latin America.
One is by Uruguayan-born artist Gonzalo Fonseca who traveled to the Middle East during the 1950s where he visited archaeological sites that made a lasting impact on his sculptural work, highly conceptual with great references to architectural forms.
Another is a vibrant painting by Lebanese-born artist Bibi Zogbe, who emigrated to Buenos Aires, Argentina and became known throughout South America as “la pintura de flores” (“the flower painter”).
These works are displayed alongside those of both globally renowned artists from the continent, like Colombian artist Fernando Botero, Cuban painter Wilfredo Lam, Belkis Ayon, also from Cuba, known for her work on African influences in the Caribbean island, and Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, among many others.
The exhibition’s in-depth thematic sections provide a first taste for those new to Latin American art.
“At first, we thought we would organize the show chronologically, but then we realized that it was crucial to show the connections between traditional art and various modern and contemporary movements and what influenced these,” Al-Shirawi aid. “How does the traditional translate back into the contemporary? And how does the contemporary go back to the traditional?
A poignant multisensory installation that demonstrates this and that, in Al-Shirawi’s opinion, serves as one of the “anchor” works for the exhibition is by Chilean artist Cecilia Vicuna. Titled “Quipu desparecido” (“Disappeared Quipu,” 2018), it refers to the Andean civilization’s quipus — knotted strings made of colored and spun or plied wood or llama hair — used to record information. The practice was crucial to societal organization across the ancient Incan Empire but was decimated by the Spanish colonization. Vicuna’s artwork pays homage to these important threads to reactivate the memory of the quipus, which she refers to as a “poem in space, a way to remember, involving the body and the cosmos at once.”
