Saudi artists create special commissions for Riyadh’s Diriyah Biennale

'Saudi Futurism' by Ahmed Mater and Armin Linke. (Photo by Marco Cappellletti, Courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale)
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Updated 22 February 2024
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Saudi artists create special commissions for Riyadh’s Diriyah Biennale

  • The works explore themes of renewal, cultural heritage and conservation
  • The second edition of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale runs from Feb. 20-May 24

RIYADH: The second Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, “After Rain,” features the work of 100 artists from more than 40 countries displayed in industrial warehouses in the JAX District of Riyadh. The theme of this year’s Biennale, curated by artistic director Ute Meta Bauer is all about renewal, rejuvenation and revitalization. Metaphorically, it can be applied to the rapid social and economic transformation the Kingdom is undergoing and the role art is playing in that change.

Among the dozens of artworks on show, some were newly produced by artists based in the Kingdom, including “Saudi Futurism,” an installation created by Ahmed Mater, one of the Kingdom’s most prominent artists, and Milan-born photographer and filmmaker Armin Linke. The two men travelled together across the country documenting historical, industrial and scientific sites, including the megaproject NEOM, a dairy farm, monumental buildings, the Shaheen supercomputer, Yamama Cement Factory and the colorful Diplomatic Club Heart Tent in Riyadh designed by Frei Otto. Visitors can peruse these images that merge Saudi Arabia’s past and select their own sequence of images to depict the rapid change the country is presently experiencing.

Jeddah-based Daniah Alsaleh’s “A Stone’s Palette” presents studies from her explorations of the archaeological sites of AlUla and Tayma, focusing particularly on carnelian stone beads produced in Tayma long ago, which, she explains, served as important social artifacts, used as both elements in rituals and as personal accessories.




Daniah Alsaleh. (Supplied)

“I learned they were sourced from the Indus Valley thousands of years ago,” Alsaleh tells Arab News. “They manufactured the beads in Tayma and then exported them to Mesopotamia. I went and got carnelian rock from India and created different pigments that I applied on these sketches, which are transfer photos of the excavation sites with my intervention using modern patterns and ornamentation.”

In his outdoor installation “The Whispers of Today Are Heard in the Garden of Tomorrow,” Al-Ahsa-based artist Mohammad Alfaraj has created sculptures from natural materials he found in the desert, including coiled palm leaves positioned on sticks placed in sand, which are complemented by photographs and painted murals on either wall of the wooden pavilion that encompasses his ‘garden.’

“Everything that is happening today has an echo in our future whether it is good or bad, especially the things that are not really prominent,” Alfaraj tells Arab News. “The installation consists of three parts: ‘Fossils of Time,’ made with photography and fabric — I really think that photographs, especially when they are printed, are fossils of a moment.”




Mohammed Alfaraj's 'The Whispers of Today Are Heard in the Garden of Tomorrow.' (Arab News/Rebecca Anne Proctor)

The second part is a mural called “Love is to Leave the Gates of Your Garden Ajar,” made from the charcoal of burnt palm trees. “What does it say when you use something that has been destroyed and you try and make something new from it?” he asks. “This is something that I want to emphasize: To build more than to destroy. This reflects a symbol of hope, even for the people of Palestine and for people living in any oppressed place. It is inspiring to see people use their resilience to build a new life.”

The third part consists of several new sculptures made from old palm leaves and covered in date syrup and gum Arabic topped with a protective resin that are stationed on metal plinths in the sand.

“I put them into these characters and try and let them have a continuation of their life,” Alfaraj explains. “They are monuments to a life that hasn’t been lived.”

The theme of memory is central to Saudi-based Yemeni artist Sara Abdu’s poignant biennale contribution “Now That I Have Lost You in My Dreams Where Do We Meet?”




Sara Abdu's 'Now That I Have Lost You in My Dreams Where Do We Meet' (Photo by Marco Cappellletti, Courtesy of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation)

“It is inspired by dreams I used to have,” Abdu tells Arab News. “When I think about those dreams, those intangible spaces, they offer us an opportunity to create new memories. The artwork negotiates our relationship with memory. It looks at time as this thing that determines the death of memories and all that is ephemeral.

“The materials are inspired by the Islamic funeral ritual of washing the deceased,” she continues. “I used two main ingredients: sidr powder and camphor crystals. For me, these two ingredients are the smell of death.”

The installation is constructed in a way, explains Abdu, that it looks like it is “trapping and immortalizing memories. Allowing us to exist with them in the same time and space.”

She continues: “The title of the work is very present in the space and revolves around the idea of repetition, leaving the viewer to ask how the answer to that question would leave us feeling in return.”


Singles meet-up in Pakistan’s capital offers modern matchmaking with traditional touch

Updated 1 min 27 sec ago
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Singles meet-up in Pakistan’s capital offers modern matchmaking with traditional touch

  • The event, organized by the world’s largest Muslim marriage app, brought together nearly 190 people
  • A chaperone was mandatory for participants, reflecting cultural sensitivities and ensuring seriousness

ISLAMABAD: In a country where conservative social norms often discourage casual dating, nearly 190 Pakistanis gathered in Islamabad on Saturday for a rare singles meet-up offering a more open, yet culturally respectful, route to finding a life partner.

Organized by Muzz, the world’s largest Muslim marriage app with over 15 million members, the event launched a series of matchmaking gatherings across Pakistan under the banner “Baat Pakki,” an Urdu phrase used when families agree to a marriage match. Muzz told Arab News it has over 2 million users in Pakistan. 

A chaperone was mandatory for every participant, reflecting cultural sensitivities and ensuring seriousness.

“The goal of the event today was to help people of mixed ages to be able to meet each other,” Shahzad Younas Khan, CEO of Muzz, told Arab News.

“The job of the team here … is to help people mingle and make sure that hopefully by the end of the event, everyone has talked to everyone who’s potentially compatible with them,” he added.

Singles talk to each other at the Muzz “Baat Pakki” event in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 3, 2025. (AN photo)

Attendees were divided into three age groups — 22 to 30, 30 to 40 and 40-plus — with an adjoining lounge for family members. Icebreaker questions and Muzz staff helped start conversations at each table.

Singles first met within their age group before being introduced to others, aiming for broad interaction during the four-hour gathering.

The event was unique in a country where marriages are traditionally arranged by families or through professional matchmakers known as “Rishta Aunties,” who connect prospective families but rarely allow singles to meet independently before a match is proposed.

“Involving parents makes the process more transparent,” said Nazleen Javed, 65, who attended with her daughter. “Matchmakers are fake. See if you are coming with mother, your lie gets caught. A mother cannot lie, and the blessings of parents are different.”

Mothers talk to each other at the Muzz “Baat Pakki” event in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 3, 2025. (AN photo)

Others valued the chance to break away from rigid traditions.

“This way is better because you can see, talk and get a feel of the person,” said Noreen Khan, who came with her son. “Children have to spend their lives together. They should have some freedom to meet and speak to each other.”

Maheen, 27, said she had long been uncomfortable with conventional arranged marriage practices.

“I am not fond of the traditional way [of matchmaking] wherein the boy’s family visits your house and you, holding the tray, enter the room and they are looking at you, picking out faults,” she said.

“You [should be able to] talk to each other one-on-one, face-to-face, without the fear of rejection,” she continued. “That’s why I am here.”

A mothers talks to Muzz team at the “Baat Pakki” event in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 3, 2025. (AN photo)

Fariha Khan, 36, who works in the NGO sector in Peshawar, appreciated the diversity of participants.

“People from different cities and castes met here. That hesitation around differences was reduced today.”

Saad Waheed, 28, a mechanical engineer, admitted feeling uneasy at first after arriving at the event.

“I was a little bit hesitant … because I needed a chaperone and it felt very strange to me,” he said. “But in the long run, it makes sense. It means that everyone that’s here is serious about what they have signed up for.”

Singles and parents are pictured at the at the Muzz “Baat Pakki” event in Islamabad, Pakistan, on May 3, 2025. (AN photo)

Waheed also maintained matrimonial apps often felt impersonal to him.

“Single events like these offer a chance to make friends, which is a more natural way of meeting a partner.”

Nayab Nazir, Muzz’s marketing lead for Pakistan, said participants can later review the profiles of those they met through the app.

“I go back home, and if I have liked, let’s say, five people at the event, I can actually go and look at all those five profiles and connect directly instead of having a third person in between.”

Founded in 2015, Muzz has increasingly adapted its approach for Pakistan’s cultural context.

“We actually found that by inviting the mums it just helped make sure everyone was more serious,” Khan, the company’s CEO, said.

“It helps reduce the taboo of going to a singles event effectively,” he added. “A lot of mums can meet each other. They can see lots of people in one place in just a few hours.”


Kevin Hart brings laughs and life lessons to Abu Dhabi with ‘Acting My Age’

Updated 03 May 2025
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Kevin Hart brings laughs and life lessons to Abu Dhabi with ‘Acting My Age’

ABU DHABI: Kevin Hart returned to the stage at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday with his signature energy and a new show, following his successful performance there in 2023.

“It’s good to be back,” Hart said, kicking off a night of relentless humor and heartfelt honesty.

As part of the Abu Dhabi comedy festival, Hart performed a classic American standup show mixed with a lot of self-deprecating humor. 

Titled “Acting my Age,” the show is themed around understanding old age and realizing that aging is about gaining experience and wisdom. 

With jokes about his endless injuries and health problems, Hart’s signature facial expressions and animated vocals brought the show to life, and left members of the audience in tears of laughter. 

The show was targeted at an older crowd, and Hart was able to capture their attention with his personal anecdotes. 

Crowd work and audience interactions were missing from his performance and some people yelled out to grab his attention, but he mostly ignored these callouts. 

As usual, his line delivery was on point and he was able to easily transition from one story to the next while maintaining running gags throughout the show, which lasted about an hour. 

Opening for Hart were a group of comedians who go by the name of “Plastic Cup Boyz.” The trio, consisting of Joey Wells, Will “Spank” Horton and Na’im Lynn, delivered an entertaining and captivating opener for the show. 

Hart ended his performance with heartfelt sentiment, saying: “The win in life is old age. Old age is not guaranteed.” 


Maya Akra on the Oscars and making space for Arab voices in Hollywood

Updated 03 May 2025
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Maya Akra on the Oscars and making space for Arab voices in Hollywood

DUBAI: Lebanese actress and comedian Maya Akra has spent years carving out her niche across Beirut and New York. This year, that journey reached a new milestone when “Anora,” a film she appears in, won five Oscars, including Best Picture.

But for Akra, the recognition is just one part of a much longer story.

“I was raised by ‘Comedy Central’ (and) … ‘The Nanny.’ Fran Drescher was my hero,” Akra told Arab News. Her early love of performance was sparked at home, where her father, a filmmaker, recorded endless hours of her childhood on VHS. “Being in front of the camera has been my reality since I was a baby. I have hours of footage from my childhood, sometimes just talking endlessly like I was the host of my own show. Somehow that early lens shaped me,” she said.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Maya Akra (Acra) (@mayaacra)

She began performing on stage at a young age, often drawing from real-life experiences marked by grief, resilience and reinvention. After building her career in Lebanon — working behind the scenes at MTV, acting in student films and her comedy sketches going viral — Akra moved to New York to pursue acting and stand-up full-time.

Now part of the city’s vibrant improv and comedy scene, she has performed at venues such as The Stand, Stand Up NY and Broadway Comedy Club.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Maya Akra (Acra) (@mayaacra)

Her acting work includes short films, commercials and theater, often centered around stories of identity and migration. “I’m drawn to stories that spotlight the emotional and cultural struggles of Arab immigrants,” she said.

Akra is passionate about breaking the mold for Arab characters onscreen. “Arab talent is slowly gaining more visibility in Western media… (but) the industry still has a long way to go. Too often, the roles offered to Arab actors are still limited to certain tropes, like the villain, the terrorist or the oppressed woman.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Maya Akra (Acra) (@mayaacra)

“We have so many untold stories that reflect the diversity and success of Arabs in America,” she added.

While “Anora” was not an Arab story, being part of an indie project that defied expectations — and that went on to sweep the Oscars — was a powerful moment for Akra. She had been invited to the ceremony but did not attend.

“I didn’t even watch the ceremony. I had just moved into my apartment. I was in a really emotional place. I had just lost my aunt,” she recalled. “Then suddenly, I got a message: ‘You’re featured in the Best Picture of 2024!’ I was stunned. It felt completely surreal. I was so happy, and I couldn’t stop smiling.”

Looking ahead, Akra is focused on continuing to tell real, layered stories through both comedy and drama. “I carry Lebanon with me into every room,” she said. “I’ll be at the Oscars when I win my own one day. I’m claiming that.”


Ramy Youssef’s ‘#1 Happy Family USA’ comedy hits close to home

Updated 03 May 2025
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Ramy Youssef’s ‘#1 Happy Family USA’ comedy hits close to home

  • Focus on challenges facing Muslim Americans post-9/11
  • Stark reminder that today’s dystopia is no laughing matter

TORONTO: American-Egyptian comedian and actor Ramy Youssef’s first animated venture “#1 Happy Family USA,” on Amazon Prime Video, is a satirical take on the challenges faced by Muslim-American families in a post-9/11 world.

Created with Pam Brady of “South Park” fame, the eight-episode series opens with a darkly comic twist of fate — the Egyptian-American Hussein family is at the airport when news breaks of the World Trade Center attacks.

And from that moment, everything changes. The patriarch and owner of Hussein’s Halal Cart is convinced that “we must work harder at being like them. So, we blend in.”

To fit in, Hussein shaves his beard and pushes the family to “look more American.” Meanwhile, mom Sharon (also known as Sharia) embraces her faith with renewed conviction by donning a hijab.

Twelve-year-old Rumi (voiced by Youssef) finds himself an outcast at school and is now forced to navigate not only the throes of middle school and adolescence, but also the harsh realities of a post-9/11 world.

Each character is so vividly portrayed that you can easily imagine your Arab teta or the local Pakistani imam in the mix. The well-timed vocal interjections and cultural (Arab and American pop-culture) references bring an extra layer of freshness and humor to the show.

Known for his Emmy-nominated “Ramy,” Youssef continues to shed light on the Muslim-American experience.

The show evokes the familiar sentiment of fear. It captures the lived reality of Islamophobia and surveillance in Muslim communities, and explores related themes of identity struggles, microaggressions, and code-switching.

We can laugh at the Hussein family’s antics, but the show serves as a stark reminder that in today’s dystopian and polarized political climate, there is little humor to be found.


UK comedian Russell Brand appears in court on rape charges

Updated 02 May 2025
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UK comedian Russell Brand appears in court on rape charges

  • He faces two counts of rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault
  • Arriving for the first court hearing in the case, Brand made his way slowly through a crush of media and onlookers gathered outside the court

LONDON: British comedian and actor Russell Brand appeared in a London court on Friday to face five charges of rape and other sexual offenses and said.
Brand, 49, who became known internationally as the husband of pop star Katy Perry after forging a career in Britain with his risque comedy routines, was charged last month.
He faces two counts of rape, two of sexual assault and one of indecent assault.
Arriving for the first court hearing in the case, Brand made his way slowly through a crush of media and onlookers gathered outside the court.
The celebrity, dressed casually in a dark colored open-necked shirt and jeans, spoke only to confirm his details before being granted bail and ordered to appear in court again on May 30.
In a video response on X after he was charged, Brand denied all the alleged offenses and said he was “grateful” for the “opportunity” to defend himself.
“I was a fool before I lived in the light of the Lord. I was a drug addict, a sex addict and an imbecile, but what I never was a rapist. I’ve never engaged in non-consensual activity,” he said in the video.
The charges relate to offenses alleged to have taken place between 1999 and 2005 involving four women.
Prosecutors charged him after a police investigation into allegations following a broadcast of a Channel 4 documentary in September 2023.
London’s Metropolitan Police have said the investigation remains open and urged “anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information” to contact officers.
Brand is charged with the rape of a woman in 1999 in the Bournemouth area on England’s south coast, as well as the abuse and sexual assault of a woman in 2004 in the Westminster area of central London.
He has also been charged with indecently assaulting a woman in 2001 and sexually assaulting another woman between 2004 and 2005 — both incidents alleged to have taken place in Westminster.
The court confirmed that he lives part of the time in the United States, but Brand also gave an address in the southern English county of Buckinghamshire.
Born in 1975 to working-class parents in Essex, east of London, Brand began his stand-up career as a teenager.
He burst onto the scene as a provocative, often lewd comedian before transforming into a Hollywood star, then an anti-establishment guru and conspiracy theorist who has millions of fans online.
He has almost seven million subscribers on YouTube, 11.3 million on X and 4.8 million on Instagram.
He presented a show on the BBC’s Radio 2 station between 2006 and 2008 but left after an on-air prank when he left a sexually explicit voicemail for “Fawlty Towers” actor Andrew Sachs about his granddaughter.
He also presented a “Big Brother” spin-off show for several years and wrote columns for the left-wing Guardian newspaper and penned two autobiographies.
Brand was married to US star Perry for 14 months between 2010 and 2012.
He is now married to the author and illustrator Laura Gallacher, with whom he has three children.