A five-day cultural forum, organized by Fenaa Alawwal and co-curated with Afikra, is currently taking place in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. The forum, named the Muntada Forum of Contemporary Art Practices, commenced on Sunday evening and will run until September 19. The theme for this inaugural event is “Introspection: The Role of Contemporary Art Practices in a Time of Change.”
The forum is set to feature five panel discussions with 24 creatives exploring a range of topics, including how Saudi artists influence the Kingdom’s global image. Discussions will cover Saudi youth culture, including music, street art, and fashion; the role of art professionals in creative environments; the rise of urban art districts; and the intersection of food and art.
Despite heavy traffic in Riyadh, the forum attracted a large turnout of art enthusiasts, curators, and locals to the venue, which was designed by the Omrania architecture firm as part of Alawwal Bank’s Riyadh branch in the Diplomatic Quarter, established in 1988.
The first panel, “Soft Power: Saudi Artists’ Role in Shaping the Kingdom’s Global Image,” was fully attended. It was moderated by curator Sara Al-Mutlaq and featured speakers Ahmed Mater, an artist with a background in medicine, and Alia Al-Senussi, a cultural strategist and art patron.
Al-Senussi shared her thoughts with Arab News, saying, “What we have really been able to embrace is the idea, (as) Ahmed Mater said, that it’s up to the artist to remove the power from the conversation. And soft power, in its kind of whole and holistic way, is really about translating who people are to the rest of the world.”
Mater, who is preparing to release a new book later this year, reflected on significant global events since his birth year of 1979, including the Iranian revolution and the Makkah seizure. He discussed how these events, along with others such as the Gulf War, 9/11, the Arab Spring, social media’s rise, and the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted Saudi Arabia.
“There was a big change happening in Saudi Arabia during these decades. I spoke about art as a mirror for sociopolitical events and the culture of changing and that’s what shapes our narrative, our story, our strength—by telling our story that shapes our life and our memory,” Mater told Arab News.
Opening night speeches were delivered by curator Maya El-Khalil and Saudi artist Moath Alofi. Future speakers include Hala Al-Hedeithy from the Music Commission, Gigi Arabia, founder of Heavy Arabia; Nada Al-Helabi from MDLBEAST; and Mikey Muhanna, founder and executive director of Afikra.
Other notable participants include Lulwah Al-Homoud, curator and artist; Oliver Farrell from Misk Art; Mayada Badr, CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission; and Sybel Vazquez from the Diriyah Biennale Foundation. The forum will also feature a kitchen lab hosted by celebrity chef Joe Barza and conclude with a performance by culinary storyteller and social media sensation Nadir Nahdi.