“The role of collectors is essential to art movements and culture, both in Saudi Arabia and internationally,” says Hamza Serafi, a self-taught artist and co-founder of Jeddah’s Athr Gallery, one of the country’s leading cultural and commercial art spaces. “Collectors play a massive role in the world of contemporary art.”

The Kingdom’s art scene is undeniably flourishing with the support from the government, at an unprecedented rate. “We are experiencing and living through one of the most current movements which covers the whole spectrum.” Like neighbouring Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in the arts and culture sector, building new museums and hosting exhibitions and events to encourage a whole new generation of art lovers.

" Who’d have thought, for example, that one of my favourite pieces would come from Saudi Arabia at at the dynaamic Athr Gallery based in Jeddah? But Saddek Wasil’s twisted metal figures set into found pieces of crumbling masonry (backed with beautiful tiles from Mecca) are wistful evocations of isolation and loss. Like many artists in the region, Wasil has a day job (he’s a doctor), and makes his art in his father’s garage in his downtime. "

Interestingly, this year’s exhibition inspiration for ‘Earth and Ever After’ comes from the Holy Qur’anic verses: “From this dust We created you, and in this We shall put you back, and from this, We shall raise you up once again.” (20:55) and “And Allah has made the Earth a spread for you, so that you may go about its broad ways.” (71:20). 

To mark the final day of Art Dubai, The Art Blog conducted a mini questionnaire with a selection of galleries. Here is Mohammed Hafiz from Athr Gallery, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

ArtInternational Istanbul

Featuring Sami Al Turki, Jowhara Alsaud, Hazem Harb, Ahmed Mater, Basmah Felemban, Musaed Alhulis, Nasser Alsalem, Saddek Wasil and Ayman Yossri Daydban

Booth E5

16-18 September, 2013

Istanbul, Turkey

abc (art berlin contemporary)

Featuring Musaed Al Hulis

19-22 September, 2013

Berlin, Germany

From There, To Here, & Inevitably Into Eternity

Sami Al Turki Solo Exhibition

25 September - 15 November, 2013

Athr Gallery, Jeddah

In its seventh edition this year, Art Dubai hosted 75 galleries from 30 different countries showcasing the creative and artistic work of 500 artists. Saudi Arabia was represented by Athr Gallery.

Also featured during the second day of the Art Week was the opening of Pen to Paper, a group exhibition co-organised by Athr Gallery and the Al Madad Foundation’s Aya Haidar. The exhibition highlighted notions of knowledge, truth, and the dissemination of information (and misinformation), and featured works by renowned artists such as Tammam Azzam, Ayman Yossri Daydban, Saddek Wasil, and Jowhara AlSaud. Speaking about education and the arts in Saudi Arabia, Haidar noted the reality of the arts as being officially excluded from the Saudi curriculum.

   يشارك الفنان التشكيلي صديق واصل رئيس الجمعية السعودية للفنون التشكيلية فرع مكة المكرمة في بينالي الخرافي الخامس للفن العربي المعاصر بالكويت الذي انطلقت فعالياته يوم السبت الماضي الموافق 15/ديسمبر/2012م بالكويت، وذلك بترشيح من قبل وزارة الثقافة والإعلام الممثلة بوكالة الوزارة للشؤون الثقافية.