Weekly Regional Brief 

FRENCH-SAUDI ARTISTIC COLLABORATION EXPANSION

February 9 — Afalula, the French agency tasked with preserving and developing the historical and cultural heritage of the Al-Ula region of Saudi Arabia, has launched an artist-led initiative aimed at studying the touristic and environmental potential of the region. Afalula was itself founded as joint Saudi-French initiative in July 2018.

The present initiative builds upon previous artistic residency programs in the region, which involved Filipino, Emirati and Saudi artistic figures.

ART CAIRO EXHIBITION OPENS FOR ITS 4TH EDITION

February 11 — The ‘Art Cairo’ exhibition, which includes 1300 works of art from 10 Arab countries, and features a total of 150 artists, shall place special focus on empowering contemporary and modern artists during its 4th Edition. It is taking place in the recently completed Grand Egyptian Museum, and will last from February 11-14.

The exhibition is itself a collaboration of numerous Arab galleries, including Saudi Arabia’s Erram, Fine Art in Kuwait, Qode and Wadi Finan from Jordan, Abu Dhabi’s Khawala Foundation, and Dubai’s Fann A Porter.

DUBAI GALLERY TO AUCTION OFF PICASSO PAINTING AND OTHER WORKS OF ART

February 12 — The Sama L Ain Art Gallery auctioned three Picasso paintings as well as artworks produced by members of the royal family of Ras Al-Khaimah. Unlike a regular art sale however, there will not be a single owner of these artistic workers, the art was instead auctioned under a share-based framework of joint ownership.

Some of the involved paintings include Picasso’s “Like an animal”, as well as a artifacts which uniquely features a lithography of Picasso produced just after the end of WW2.

Lebanese Photographer Highlights Nation’s resistance

resent until FEBRUARY 22 — Lebanese photographer Dia Mrad‘s exhibition will come to a close in Dubai’s Zawyeh Gallery. The exhibition is, in Mrad’s words, aimed at celebrating the resilience of the Lebanese in providing themselves with alternatives to the restrictions imposed by the reality of the crisis.

Illustrating urban trends in Beirut, the photographs focus on scenes of ordinary life, with a view to documenting the movement towards more self-sufficient structures in his home country, with people striving for independence from defunct state utility systems.