At a magnificent memorial night in Jeddah, the late Saudi artist and sculptor Abdulhalim Radwi’s life and work were honored. Family, friends, colleagues, fellow artists, and prominent members of the art community attended to pay tribute to the creator of Saudi modern art, who died in 2006 but continues to inspire artists today.
The exhibition and documentary film depicting his life and career were hosted by the artist’s daughter, Dr. Maha Radwi, in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts. “While our emotions are sad from my father’s passing, his legacy goes on,” Radwi remarked. “One of the things we’re trying to talk about is not just the beautiful pieces he created during his lifetime, but also how he lived his life.”
“Art was a huge part of his life, and we wanted to remember his legacy as much as possible,” said society president Mohammed Al-Subaih. He is a key character in Saudi art history and needs to be recognised.” Radwi was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 1939. His mother, a painter, pushed him to pursue art when he was young.
He won his first formal painting competition while still in high school in the mid-1950s, and in 1961 he went to Rome to study fine arts. In Riyadh, he returned to the Kingdom as an art teacher. From 1968 to 1974, he was the director of the Jeddah Center for Fine Arts, and from 1980 to 1992, he was in charge of the city’s cultural and arts scene.
