Saudi Arabia cracks down on heritage site defacement with hefty fines
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has issued a stern warning against damaging the nation's cultural heritage sites, imposing hefty...
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia’s Madinah, KAEC, Al-Ahsa join UNESCO global network of learning cities
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has announced that the cities of Madinah, King...
Geostrategy
Arts & Culture
Turkey’s Jews see glimpse of past in Netflix series
A groundbreaking Netflix series set among Turkey's Jews has been an unexpected hit there, challenging taboos and enthralling audiences with...
- The global success of Turkish television series -- often with government-pleasing narratives -- has made the country a small-screen superpower
- While minorities once flourished in the cosmopolitan capital of the Ottoman Empire, they suffered persecution as it fell and discrimination ever since
Arts & Culture
War heaps misery upon Yemen’s heritage
Yemen's Sira Fortress withstood attacks by the Portuguese and the Turks, but years of war have left the 11th century...
- Sira sits atop a rocky mountain island in the historic district of Crater, a strategic position that once made it a base for British colonial forces
- Yemen's brutal war has not just killed hundreds of thousands, but also laid waste to much of its rich architectural heritage
Arts & Culture
2022 edition of Art Dubai largest to date, achieves strong sales
Art Dubai closed its 15th edition on Sunday, with strong sales reported across all four sections of the fair: Modern,...
- The five-day event saw a record attendance of more than 30,000 visitors and more than 120 presentations by 104 galleries and platforms from 44 countries.
- The gallery program was complemented by newly commissioned works from leading international artists and an oversubscribed, innovative talks program,
Arts & Culture
Ukraine invasion shows democracy is shaking: Artist
What Ai Weiwei calls the current "crisis of human rights and freedom of speech" is portrayed in a life-size replica...
- He was speaking at the Albertina Modern gallery where the show, "In Search of Humanity", opens Wednesday.
- The new exhibition, which he described as "critical and radical", displays several works that are responses to the experiences of those fleeing war and persecution.
Business
Art sales hit all-time high in 2021, continue rapid growth in Asia
Art auctions saw a record year in 2021 with $17.1 billion (15.6 billion euros) in sales as the market continued...
- There was also the landmark moment when digital artist Beeple sold a NFT for $69 million, the third-highest figure ever paid for a living artist.
- Contemporary art -- counted as anything created after 1945 -- accounts for a growing share of sales, with 20 percent of the market, up from 3 percent in 2000.
Arts & Culture
Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council focuses on palm fiber at Art Dubai
The 15th edition of Art Dubai which displayed findings of its advanced palm fiber research and palm textile prototype, paving...
- Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, an affiliate of the UAE-based NAMA Women Advancement, explored UAE’s relationship with date palm.
- It discussed how such local, environment-friendly materials could pave the way for the creation of a circular economy centered on palm waste.
Geostrategy
Amid NFT boom, artists worry about climate costs
Most NFTs are currently traded on Ethereum, which reportedly uses as much electricity as all of the Netherlands, with a...
- K-pop fans in South Korea last year staged a brutal campaign against plans for popular groups include BTS and A.C.E. to sell crypto-art.
- Selling art as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, uses the same technology as crypto-currencies like Bitcoin. The buyer receives a verified digital token as a mark of genuineness.
Arts & Culture
Dubai Fitness Challenge keeps residents hooked to daily workout
Dubai Fitness Challenge, a program launched in 2017 to improve the well-being of the residents, has seen 88 percent of...
- The program has seen the number of participants more than double from 786,000 in its inaugural year to 1,650,000 people in 2021.
- The participants’ overall satisfaction was extremely high for the 5th edition with 93 percent extremely happy with their experience.
Arts & Culture
Druze pop star seeks to bridge Palestinian, Israeli divide
Nicknamed “the Druze prodigy” after winning a TV competition aged 12, Sharif — now in his 40s — rose to...
- Nicknamed “the Druze prodigy” after winning a TV competition aged 12, Sharif — now in his 40s — rose to fame with his Mizrahi (Eastern) pop songs in the 1990s in Israel
- The Druze, an Arabic-speaking minority offshoot of Shiite Islam, number around 140,000 in Israel and the occupied Golan Heights
Arts & Culture
Struggling Libyan potters showcase wares online
The Libyan city of Gharyan sculpted a reputation for ceramics generations ago, but fragile demand is forcing potters to seek...
- Potters in Gharyan looks to compete with products made in China, Turkey and Libya's neighbors
- Gharyan's once-prosperous potteries struggles to keep pace with modernization
Saudi Arabia cracks down on heritage site defacement with hefty fines
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has issued a stern warning against damaging the nation's cultural heritage sites, imposing hefty...
Arts & Culture
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Watch owned by China’s last emperor sells for $5m
Arts & Culture
Iraq artist battles to save old boating tradition
Arts & Culture
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NEOM’s first international exhibition held in Venice
Arts & Culture
‘Humanitarian workers play key role in restoring hope’
"Humanitarian work knows no geographical or political boundaries; it does not recognize distinctions between cultures, nationalities, religions, and sects; and...
Arts & Culture
Saudi Arabia’s football rise ‘long-term project’, says top official
The Saudi Pro League has a years-long commitment from the kingdom's rulers in its goal to become one of the...
Geostrategy
25 teams attending Afro-Arab Esports League 2023 in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Afro-Arab Esports League, which opened Saturday in Saudi Arabia, will see participation from over 25...
Arts & Culture
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Arts & Culture
Barbie film draws crowds in Saudi Arabia, generates buzz
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - After being banned in several Arab countries, blockbuster film Barbie in Saudi Arabia is drawing huge...
- The unexpected success of the film Barbie in Saudi Arabia has become a symbol of the dramatic societal changes taking place in the conservative kingdom
- Just a mere eight years ago, the country had no movie theaters and was known for strict enforcement of gender-based segregation and dress codes
Arts & Culture
Iran sentences film-maker over Cannes-selected movie
The film-makers will only serve one-twentieth of their sentence, about nine days, while the remainder "will be suspended over five...
- "Leila's Brothers", a rich and complex tale of a family struggling with economic hardship in Tehran, has been banned in Iran since its release last year
- Saeed Roustaee and the movie's producer Javad Noruzbegi were found guilty of "contributing to propaganda of the opposition against the Islamic system"
Arts & Culture
‘Barbie’ retains top spot at N.American box office for fourth week
Los Angeles, United States - Warner Bros.' hit "Barbie" dominated North American box offices for a fourth consecutive week, industry estimates...
- Industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated this weekend's haul for "Barbie" at $33.7 million, bringing its domestic total to $526 million.
- Starring Margot Robbie as the iconic doll and Ryan Gosling as boyfriend Ken, "Barbie" has earned a whopping $1.2 billion worldwide.