TIRANA: Novelist Ismail Kadare — who has died aged 88 — used his pen as a stealth weapon to survive Albania’s paranoid communist dictator Enver Hoxha.
His sophisticated storytelling — often likened to that of George Orwell or Franz Kafka — used metaphor and irony to reveal the nature of tyranny under Hoxha, who ruled Albania from 1946 until his death in 1985.
“Dark times bring unpleasant but beautiful surprises,” Kadare told AFP.
“Literature has often produced magnificent works in dark ages as if it was seeking to remedy the misfortune inflicted on people,” he said.
He was often tipped to win a Nobel prize for his towering body of work which delved into his country’s myths and history to dissect the mechanisms of totalitarianism.
Kadare’s novels, essays and poems have been translated into more than 40 languages, making him the Balkans’ best-known modern novelist.
The prolific writer broke ranks with isolated Albania’s communists and fled to Paris a few months before the government collapsed in the early 1990s.
He wrote about his disillusionment in his book “The Albanian Spring — The Anatomy of Tyranny.”
Born in Gjirokaster in southern Albania on January 28, 1936, Kadare was inspired by Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” as a child and counted the playwright, as well as Dante and Cervantes, among his heroes.
Ironically, the dictator Hoxha hailed from the same mountain town.
Kadare studied languages and literature in Tirana before attending the Gorky Institute of World Literature in Moscow.
After returning to Albania in 1960, he initially won acclaim as a poet before publishing his first novel “The General of the Dead Army” in 1963, a tragicomic tale that was later translated into dozens of other languages.
His second novel, “The Monster,” about townspeople who live in a permanent state of anxiety and paranoia after a wooden Trojan horse appears outside the town, was banned.
His 1977 novel “The Great Winter,” though somewhat favorable toward the regime, angered Hoxha devotees who deemed it insufficiently laudatory and demanded the “bourgeois” writer’s execution.
Yet while some writers and other artists were imprisoned — or even killed — by the government, Kadare was spared.
Hoxha’s widow Nexhmije said in her memoirs that the Albanian leader, who prided himself on a fondness for literature, saved the internationally acclaimed author several times.
Archives from the Hoxha era show that Kadare was often close to being arrested, and after his poem “Red Pashas” was published in 1975 he was banished to a remote village for more than a year.
Kadare, for his part, denied any special relationship with the brutal dictator.
“Against whom was Enver Hoxha protecting me? Against Enver Hoxha?” Kadare told AFP in 2016.
Academics have often pondered whether Kadare was a darling of Hoxha or a brave author risking prison and death?
“Both are true,” suggested French publisher Francois Maspero, who raised the question in his book “Balkans-Transit.”
Writing such work under a government in which a single word could be turned against its author “requires, above all, determination and courage,” Maspero wrote.
“My work obeyed only the laws of literature, it obeyed no other law,” Kadare said.
In one of his last interviews in October, when he was clearly frail, Kadare told AFP that writing transformed “the hell of communism... into a life force, a force which helped you survive and hold your head up and win out over dictatorship.
“I am so grateful for literature, because it gives me the chance to overcome the impossible.”
In 2005 Kadare won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize for his life’s work. He was described by judge John Carey as “a universal writer in a tradition of storytelling that goes back to Homer.”
A father of two, Kadare told AFP that he enjoyed seeing his name “mentioned among the candidates” for the Nobel prize, even if the topic “embarrasses” him.
“I am not modest because... during the totalitarian regime, modesty was a call to submission. Writers don’t have to bow their heads.”
Ismail Kadare: A bright light in Albania’s darkest days
https://arab.news/zqgdc
Ismail Kadare: A bright light in Albania’s darkest days
- Ismail Kadare: ‘Literature has often produced magnificent works in dark ages as if it was seeking to remedy the misfortune inflicted on people’
- Kadare was often tipped to win a Nobel prize for his towering body of work which delved into his country’s myths and history
A celebration of Saudi Arabia’s artisanal heritage
- The Ministry of Culture has designated 2025 as The Year of Handicrafts. Here, Arab News highlights some of the Kingdom’s most significant traditional crafts
Al-Khous
While palm trees are famed for providing dates, which play such a significant role in traditional Khaleeji hospitality, the plants themselves are equally important in Arabic heritage. The tree trunks and leaves were commonly used to create temporary or permanent accommodation, and Al-Khous — the weaving of palm fronds — is one of the oldest regional handicrafts. Bedouins would use the technique to create baskets, bowls, mats, tablecloths, brooms, and bags to be carried by their camels. The palm leaves are dried out in the sun, then cut (to ensure all thorns are removed) and soaked before being dyed, if required, and then sewn together. It’s a painstaking process, that requires great attention to detail and a steady hand.
Bisht
This traditional long cloak, traditionally made from wool, was originally worn by Bedouins in winter, but is now an important part of the regional wardrobe for special occasions including weddings, graduations, and Eid. These days, most bishts are machine-made, and a high-quality, hand-tailored bisht is seen as something of a status symbol, having become the formal wear for politicians and other high-ranking individuals in the Gulf and beyond.
Al-Ahsa, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province is renowned for its bisht tailoring, and many of the products are known by the names of the families who have made them for generations, including the Al-Qattan, Al-Kharas, Al-Mahdi, and Al-Bagli. Each tailor has their own thread (zari) design.
Speaking to Arab News a few years ago, one Al-Ahsa tailor, Abu Salem, said: “Black bishts with gold stitching are the most popular. In the early Nineties, new colors were introduced to the bisht market. Blue, grey and maroon are mostly worn by the younger generation. The older generation sticks to the traditional black, brown and cream.
“Tailoring bishts is an art that requires accuracy and skill. The gold embroidery requires patience and takes many hours,” he continued. “Hand-making one of these bishts could take from 80 to 120 hours and four tailors, each with one specific task.”
Sadu weaving
This ancient tribal craft dates back centuries. Bedouin Sadu weavers would create tightly spun tent awnings, rugs and more in a variety of colored patterns for their tribes using dyed wool, hair or fur woven on a floor loom. These days, Sadu patterns are commonly seen on clothing and interior décor. Speaking to Arab News in 2021, Mohammed Khoja, founder of clothing brand Hindamme, said that Sadu and its range of patterns “reflects an element of storytelling because it says so much about the livelihoods of the early Arabs. It comes in many forms in various colors, so it’s incredibly inspiring. I knew that I wanted to reference it in my designs. I wanted to reflect its beauty in a more contemporary format.”
Dr. Delayel Al-Qahtani, director of the studies and research department at Atharna, a social enterprise dedicated to Arabian culture and handicrafts, told Arab News: “Al-Sadu is a craft that requires innovative skills and a lot of effort, as the weaver has to work hard to transform the raw material into something new. It is an intricate craft that requires precise hand movements. The final product is always a beautiful design.”
Henna tattooing
The practice of applying henna — a reddish-brown dye made from dried, powdered leaves of the henna tree — to the body was recently added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, thanks in large part to the efforts of Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission. Henna has been used to dye skin, hair and fingernails since for millennia, dating back at least to the time of the ancient Egyptians.
A report from the Saudi Press Agency at the time henna was added to the UNESCO list stated: “Henna has great cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, with the art mastered by women and passed down through generations. It represents ‘joy and optimism’ and is a social tradition that strengthens community bonds.”
Pottery
Midianite pottery dating back more than 1,500 years has been discovered in northwestern Saudi Arabia, and it’s clear that pottery has a long and distinguished history in the Gulf in general. Cooking pots, cups and utensils are among the most common items crafted by traditional potters, and clay pots, especially, play a vital role in the region’s culinary heritage. As a recent Saudi Press Agency report stated: “The slow and even distribution of heat enhances the dishes cooked in (them), such as madhbi and mandi.” Local authorities in Jazan and other regions have been organizing workshops and courses to encourage the younger generation to keep this tradition alive.
Sword and janbiya making
The crafting of weaponry is another centuries-old skill that is being preserved in various areas of the Kingdom. The Najran region, in particular, is famed for producing some of the most stunning ornamental swords and janbiya (short, curved daggers). What were once necessities for desert tribesmen are now generally for decoration only, but the artistry required to produce them remains the same and is a source of great pride in the Kingdom and the wider Arabian Gulf. The daggers are generally “made from iron, with handles of animal horn, often adorned with silver or gold,” according to a recent SPA report. Carvings on the hilts and sheaths are often used to depict the owner’s tribal background. The finest examples can cost thousands of dollars.
‘Dubai Bling’ season 3: A rollercoaster of drama, fashion and unfinished business
DUBAI: Here we go again. It’s season three of “Dubai Bling,” featuring jaw-dropping opulence from the extravagant lives of the rich and sort-of famous. And from the very first episode, the drama is ramped up with the kind of intriguing revelations that keep viewers hooked.
The new season features returning cast members Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Mona Kattan, Ebraheem Al-Samadi, Safa and Fahad Siddiqui, Farhana Bodi, and Marwan Al-Awadhi (aka DJ Bliss) and his wife Danya Mohammed. Media personality Mahira Abdel Aziz and Iraqi singer and actress Jwana Karim are new faces, bringing fresh energy and conflict, particularly as the latter already has history with a couple of the regulars.
One of this season’s standout moments is Safa’s quirky farewell party for her car. She also showcases her playful personality by bringing her daughters to her office and setting up a ball pit. Mother and daughters all wear coordinated outfits, complete with matching heels.
Safa’s humor and charisma once again shine through, making her one of the most entertaining personalities on the show.
This season also delves deeper into DJ Bliss and Mohammed’s journey to improve their marriage and wraps up a few long-running conflicts, including Khoury, Safa and Bodi’s ongoing tensions, and Adada and Karim’s years-long fight. Although it then leaves viewers hanging on a few other issues, so it’s safe to assume we’ll see a fourth season.
Often, though, the show’s emotional arcs feel overly staged (even by reality TV’s standards). It’s not always clear that these people are really friends, rather than unconvincing actors playing friends. Al-Samadi’s hijacking of a pregnancy announcement, for example, seems wholly contrived in order to provoke a reaction.
Visually, at least, the show remains stunning, showcasing high-end fashion, striking makeup, and sculpted hairstyles. Every frame is luxurious.
Ultimately, “Dubai Bling” offers entertaining escapism. Fans will once again enjoy the glitzy aspirational glamor, but those seeking authenticity should look elsewhere.
Saudi author Samya Al-Harbi discusses new book ‘Not Like Other Women’
- The Saudi entrepreneur has compiled the inspirational stories of 12 Arab women
DUBAI: Dubai-based Saudi entrepreneur and author Samya Al-Harbi tells the stories of resilient Arab women, including herself, in her new book “Not Like Other Women.”
“The women around me have inspired me. Friends, colleagues, family, women I met in my work, in my troubles. I believe every woman has a story,” Al-Harbi tells Arab News.
“(My book) talks about women who have struggled in life and faced so many difficulties, and they overcome those struggles and difficulties, and they become wiser. These are women who have really challenged themselves to become stronger.”
“Not Like Other Women” features 12 stories of such women interspersed with Al-Harbi’s own experiences of balancing her personal and professional life. One of the most emotional and challenging chapters to write, she says, was “Munifa.”
“The story was very emotional for me because I always thought Munifa was my friend’s mother and never doubted it. But on the night of her funeral, I found out she wasn’t his real mother; she was actually his mother’s neighbor and best friend. What touched me the most was the strong friendship between the two women and the loyalty they showed to each other. It’s a bond that truly moved me.”
When asked if there was any pushback when it came to telling these personal stories, Al-Harbi is quick to point out that, in fact, the opposite happened.
“There are women who want to tell the world their story. Society doesn’t accept discussion of sensitive issues when it comes to women and their feelings, especially in the Arab world,” she says. “So, they always need women who have the ability to take their stories to an audience and tell them that there are women who face these problems, but fight to overcome them.
“As a woman, as a mother — as a grandmother now — I believe that, with the position I have now, it's my responsibility to talk about these issues.”
While putting the stories together for “Not Like Other Women,” Al-Harbi noticed a common thread. “I have traveled a lot, and I have seen so many women in different cultures and countries,” she says. “I noticed that we share most of these issues. If I'm talking about a lady in China, she has the same problems as a lady in Africa. We have certain problems in common, whether it is finance, respect, passion… These problems remain the same no matter where we are from.”
As an example, Al-Harbi pointed out Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s “The Palace of Illusions,” a retelling of the Indian epic “Mahabharat,” from the point of view of Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandava brothers.
“The message I got from her book is that women are facing the same problems they did 3,000 years ago. Still. We are being treated the same way. So, will that change? I don't think so. Yes, it's not like before, and yes, it will take time. But still there are women afraid to come out and express their feelings or talk about their issues. In fact, when I gave these stories to the publisher, there were three that they deleted. They said, ‘No, you cannot publish these stories because they’re very sensitive, and society will not accept this kind of story yet.’”
The Makkah-born businesswoman, who also acts as a mentor to up-and-coming entrepreneurs, said she has one piece of advice for all the young women she speaks to, including her daughters.
“They have to keep on dreaming, but, at the same time, they have to work on their dreams,” she says. “They should not listen to anyone if they believe that what they are doing is right for them and for other people — without crossing the line, especially here in the Arab world.”
Carved in stone: Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium returns to Riyadh for sixth year
- 30 sculptors from 23 countries to display work at Roshn Front
- Event place will provide forum to ‘share, produce knowledge,’ curator says
RIYADH: Roshn Front is set to be the focus for all things artistic over the coming weeks as the sixth annual Tuwaiq Sculpture Symposium opened on Wednesday under the theme “From Then to Now: Joy in the Struggle of Making.”
According its curators, Sebastian Betancur-Montoya and Dr. Manal Al-Harbi, the event, which runs until Feb. 8, is a celebration of the artist’s journey — the joy, struggle and fulfillment that comes with the act of creation.
“I approach the curation from a place of exploration and understanding the idea of the symposium as a place to share knowledge and to produce knowledge,” Betancur-Montoya told Arab News.
“We are working with artists. They work with their hands, with their forms, with their shapes and (these are) the type of experiences and knowledge and things we’re producing here from that perspective.
“I’m interested in the processes of how things and ideas come about. Stone requires a technique and each artist approaches the boulder or the block of stone in a different way, so one of the first things that came to mind was ‘how do we make this visible?’”
Tuwaiq Sculpture focuses not only on the final creations but the creative, physical and intellectual process behind them.
Betancur-Montoya draws inspiration from Albert Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus,” an essay which ends with the line: “one must imagine Sisyphus happy.”
Instead of the traditional understanding of the myth as Sisyphus being punished by rolling the boulder up a hill just to see it roll back down over and over, Camus proposed that there was a meditative purpose in the aim for perfection.
“I connect that idea of this endless Sisyphean task of pushing the boulder to the labor of an artist, creating their works and then letting them go before they are ever completed, because it’s an impossibility. Projects are not completed. Projects are abandoned or let go or freed,” Betancur-Montoya said.
Over the coming weeks, Roshn Front will be transformed into a vibrant artistic playground where 30 sculptors from 23 countries will sculpt public artworks in real time. For visitors this is a rare opportunity to witness the magic of sculpture from the ground up, as raw materials slowly take form under the hands of craftspeople.
This year’s event also includes an apprenticeship program for young artists who aspire to be the next Tuwaiq participants.
Sarah Alruwayti, director of the symposium, said: “We were actually surprised to receive more than 400 applicants for the apprenticeship program.
“I think this was a huge milestone for us and we’re very proud of everyone who participated and who applied.”
Visitors will also have the chance to meet the artists and ask questions. The event features 11 panel discussions that will explore the role of public art in urban spaces, and 10 interactive workshops where people can try their hand at crafts like natural dyeing and sustainable art practices.
For those with a deeper curiosity, six masterclasses will dive into advanced sculptural techniques, including kinetic sculptures.
Guided tours and educational trips will also be available, offering insights into both the artists’ creative processes and Riyadh’s blossoming cultural landscape.
The finished sculptures will be unveiled at an exhibition from Feb. 12-24, giving visitors the chance to experience the completed works up close.
“Once the artists are done with the sculptures they are then relocated to different areas and we’ve already started this process (with creations from earlier events). Very soon, you will be able to actually witness these sculptures in their public areas,” Alruwayti said.
Inside ‘States of Light,’ Princess Reem Al Faisal’s photography exhibition
- The acclaimed photographer discusses her black-and-white imagery and her upcoming shift to color
RIYADH: Over the past two months, a collection of black-and-white photographs taken by Princess Reem Mohammed Al-Faisal, granddaughter of the late King Faisal, has been on display at Riyadh’s L’Art Pur Foundation.
“States of Light,” according to a press release “explores the intersection of existence, reality and the Divine.” Through her lens, Princess Reem masterfully captures the interplay between light and shadow, transforming simple moments into meditative and poetic reflections on life, spirituality, and human connection. The exhibition, curated by Christiane Ashkar and Mohammed Al Shammaery, runs until Jan. 30.
The show invites visitors on an evocative journey beginning in Jeddah at the Islamic Port — Saudi Arabia’s maritime gateway to its sacred sites — and moving through Makkah and Madinah to key locations such as Mina, Mount Arafat, Muzdalifah, the Jamarat, and the Grand Mosque. These photographs not only capture the physical spaces but also convey the atmosphere at these holy sites, allowing viewers to reflect on the sacred in the everyday.
Art critic Laetitia Guillemin describes Princess Reem’s imagery like this: “A muffled sound, an outspoken whisper: in each image, half-lights tell a story, carrying away the voices of inner silence.”
Guillemin highlights the way Princess Reem uses light to evoke emotions and inner thoughts, revealing moments of stillness and contemplation through the simplicity of black-and-white photography. In her work, the half-light is not just a technical feature but a symbolic element that invites the viewer into a deeper space of meditation.
“In our modern culture, we have been trained to focus upon the physical, although we see through our mind, will, and emotion. There is a spiritual dimension that is expressed through beauty and creativity. This is what I try to achieve for myself through my work,” Princess Reem has previously said. Her photography is not just about capturing an image, but about translating the unseen. “Art without spirituality is not art; it is decoration,” Princess Reem says. “The essence of life, of the human being, is spiritual.
She describes Arabic poetry and “the rich imagery it contains” as her greatest inspiration. “Photography is a modern form of poetry, and I use it to condense complex philosophical ideas into a single image,” she says.
“States of Light” features images from her international travels — including China, Egypt, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Syria, and the United States — but it is in her depiction of the pilgrimage sites in Makkah and Madinah where the depth of her spiritual engagement is most evident. Her photographs convey not just the architectural grandeur of these locations but their profound spirituality. Through the careful manipulation of light, Princess Reem captures meditative moments of prayer and contemplation, where time seems to stand still.
Princess Reem’s exhibition is not just a collection of photographs; it is a meditation on the eternal, a dialogue between the material and the spiritual, and a reflection of her deep-rooted connection to her cultural and spiritual heritage. As her photographs explore the divine in the everyday, they invite viewers to contemplate their own relationship with the eternal and the unseen. The absence of color invites the viewer to focus on the essence of the scene, devoid of distractions. “Black-and-white is metaphysical. It gives you the metaphysical side of art,” says Princess Reem. “People can get distracted by color and forget about the image itself, but a black-and-white photograph forces people to focus.”
And in an era dominated by digital photography, Princess Reem remains committed to using traditional film. “99 percent of my work is on film,” she says. “The depth, the rendition of the shades, the textures… all of this is far more superior in film.”
Despite her passion for black-and-white imagery, Princess Reem says she is currently working on a new series of color images.
“I’ve been going around photographing Saudi Arabia in color. It will be my new focus. Currently, it’s just Saudi Arabia, but maybe other countries in the future. What I find fascinating is that color photography changes my perspective,” she says. “In black and white, my focus was on shades, shadows, and light. But (now), the color itself becomes the subject. It’s fascinating, and it’s beautiful. This shift has completely changed my approach to photography.”
Whether photographing in black and white or in color, however, Princess Reem stresses that, first and foremost, her focus is on creating work that expresses something meaningful, not on creating something that will sell. A true artist, she emphasizes, should not be motivated by money, but by a deeper calling.
“If my work doesn’t cost $10,000 a piece, then (people say) my work has no value,” she says. “But the concept that art is (just) a career is totally wrong.”
