Women artists make impact on Saudi Arabia's art scene

The role of women in various aspects of Saudi society has been changing dramatically in recent years. One area where great strides has been made is the arts and culture scene, including in various Saudi regions. The women’s art movement in Baha is elevating the Saudi art scene by showcasing regional and national heritage.

Visual artist Samia Al-Othman told the Saudi Press Agency that the women’s art movement in Baha has witnessed significant development in recent years. Al-Othman has taken part in local and international exhibitions and forums, and undergone training courses in different art schools, utilizing a range of techniques since 2012.

Nada Al-Jabiri said that she discovered her talent at an early age, adding that aspirations for the future can be seen in her drawings, which aligns with empowering women and using their artistic ideas.

Women artists in Baha have been influenced by local and global experiences, which is reflected in many of their works. (SPA)

She added that visual art is sending a great message by highlighting national identity and introducing Saudi cultural, historic, social and artistic heritage to the world.

Artist Jawhara Al-Ghamdi believes that the significant development in the art movement, cultural and artistic dialogue and multiculturalism has empowered women in recent years to assert their presence in the art scene. She added that the women’s art movement in Baha has boosted tourism in the region and showcased its historical and social heritage.

Sarah Al-Ghanem, another visual artist, said: “Visual art, in general, is part of a social movement, notably women’s visual arts, which express the woman’s perspective, her future, roles and distinguishing traits.”

 

Women artists in Baha have been influenced by local and global experiences, which is reflected in many of their works. (SPA)

Artist Azza Al-Hasen’s journey began in an art class, after which she attended training sessions that honed her talent. Those included acrylic paint pouring, impressionism and palette knife painting sessions. Al-Hasen is now a certified trainer in visual arts.

Ahmed Saleh Al-Muntasheri, a visual artist and member of the Association of Culture and Arts in Baha, said that the region’s women’s art movement, though young, grew rapidly in 2012 when there was a noticeable increase in female artists.

He added that women artists in the region have been influenced by local and global experiences, which is reflected in many of their works.

source: commonspace.eu with Saudi Press Agency

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Uzbekistan calls for bigger voice for Central Asia in the UN

Uzbekistan calls for bigger voice for Central Asia in the UN

Uzbekistan called for a more effective and representative United Nations on September 23, as presidential administration chief Saida Mirziyoyeva used her address to the UN General Assembly to seek support for the country’s candidacy for a nonpermanent Security Council seat in 2035–2036. Speaking at the Assembly’s 81st session in New York, Mirziyoyeva argued that international cooperation remains necessary despite growing geopolitical divisions. She endorsed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ UN80 reform initiative and called for an expanded Security Council, arguing that international rules should be applied consistently rather than according to the interests of powerful states. Uzbekistan’s planned chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2027 was presented as another platform for promoting dialogue. Her emphasis on multilateralism also fits a broader Central Asian effort to increase the region’s role in international institutions. Kyrgyzstan, for example, will hold its first Security Council seat in 2027–2028. Mirziyoyeva also highlighted regional cooperation, pointing to improved relations among Central Asian states over longstanding border and water disputes. On Afghanistan, she urged countries not to view it solely as a security threat, stressing the importance of creating conditions for peaceful development. She linked Uzbekistan’s international agenda to domestic reforms, citing economic growth, falling poverty and expanded education. Climate and water security also featured prominently, with the Aral Sea serving as an example of the consequences of poor environmental management. (click image to read more)

Popular

Editor's choice
Interview
Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

Thursday Interview: Murad Muradov

Today, commonspace.eu starts a new regular weekly series. THURSDAY INTERVIEW, conducted by Lauri Nikulainen, will host  persons who are thinkers, opinion shapers, and implementors in their countries and spheres. We start the series with an interview with Murad Muradov, a leading person in Azerbaijan's think tank community. He is also the first co-chair of the Action Committee for a new Armenian-Azerbaijani Dialogue. Last September he made history by being the first Azerbaijani civil society activist to visit Armenia after the 44 day war, and the start of the peace process. Speaking about this visit Murad Muradov said: "My experience was largely positive. My negative expectations luckily didn’t play out. The discussions were respectful, the panel format bringing together experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey was particularly valuable during the NATO Rose-Roth Seminar in Yerevan, and media coverage, while varied in tone, remained largely constructive. Some media outlets though attempted to represent me as more of a government mouthpiece than an independent expert, which was totally misleading.  Overall, I see these initiatives as important steps in rebuilding trust and normalising professional engagement. The fact that soon a larger Azerbaijani civil society visits to Armenia followed, reinforces the sense that this process is moving in the right direction." (click the image to read the interview in full)