The Saudi Art Council has just announced the launch of its eighth art exhibition set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Titled “The Secrets of Alidades” the installation is curated by French art historian Fabien Danesi, showcasing the works of over 30 artists around the theme of the universe and the galaxy. Initially set to be open to the public in March, the exploration of the milky-way through art was eventually delayed due to the pandemic.
The council’s newest iteration of its 21,39 exhibition—which alludes to Jeddah’s geographic coordinates—has granted the university professor with the relevant tools and means to reflect upon past sailor’s experiences across the seven seas with stars as they usually helped them navigate towards their desired point of arrival.
For those that are unfamiliar with astronomy and space, an Alidade is a measuring tool used many moons ago to evaluate the distance of an object according to a specific point of reference and that consequently determines relevant directions for explorers. In this case, the Alidade will guide us through stars as well as the carefully selected artworks to “help us drift in our cultural field with the contrary winds and ocean currents” as Danesi told Arab News in an interview.
The non-profit organisation will reveal a wide range of pieces and collections from prominent regional artists including Nasser El Salem, Aisha Zakiya and Bashaer Hawsawi to name just a few. Also, the show will put the spotlight women creatives throughout the event with 22 installations owing to them, representing the majority force of this year’s gallery display.
Perfect opportunity for aspiring artists to go global, the exhibition, which runs until September 7th, is Saudi’s jewel event to make sure not to miss this summer.
