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The fourth edition of Tuwaiq Sculpture began on Jan. 8, featuring 30 artists from around the world producing large-scale sculptures that will become permanent fixtures of Riyadh’s urban landscape as public art. Themed “Energy of Harmony,” this edition of the annual sculpture symposium will continue until Feb. 10 and features a live-sculpting event along with a public program of more than 65 activities, including panel discussions and interactive workshops that welcomes the public.
Participating sculptors for Tuwaiq Sculpture 2023 have been selected by a jury panel of experts from 650 applications received via open call. Hailing from 20 countries as far as Austria, China, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain and Switzerland, as well as a strong representation from Saudi Arabia, the artists have exhibited works internationally, with a number working as academics within the field of sculpture. Their proposed works consider concepts such as synergy, nature, and pose questions around the human experience, rendered in abstract and figurative forms.
Launched in 2019, Tuwaiq Sculpture is part of the broader Riyadh Art program, one of the largest public art projects undertaken in the world today. Riyadh Art seeks to turn the city into a “gallery without walls,” with more than 1,000 artworks to be displayed across Saudi Arabia’s capital. To date, Tuwaiq Sculpture has engaged with 90 renowned local and international artists and thousands of visitors.
For the first time since its launch, Tuwaiq Sculpture will be using stone sourced from Saudi Arabia, specifically granite and Riyadh stone, also known as sandstone. Sarah Al-Ruwayti, Tuwaiq Sculpture project manager, said: “The decision to use stones from our local quarries poses symbolic significance for Tuwaiq Sculpture, specifically to highlight Saudi Arabia’s rich history with the medium, from ancient artifacts to rock carvings and modern-day sculpture. In addition, we wanted local and international artists to connect with material drawn directly from the country’s environment. These granite and sandstone, once transformed into beautiful artworks, will fill Riyadh’s public spaces, from parks to cultural and commercial areas for residents and visitors to see and appreciate.”
The sculptors began working on the stones on Jan. 8, with the public invited to witness the sculpting live on a dedicated site in Durrat Al-Riyadh, located in the north of the city. After the sculptural works have been completed, Tuwaiq Sculpture will culminate in an exhibition that runs from Feb. 5 to 10.
In parallel to the creative process, more than 65 community engagement events will take place, including interactive workshops in the realms of calligraphy, lino print, wood sculpting, as well as stone and glass carving. A series of enriching panel discussions will explore a range of topics, from the techniques of sculpture and principles of design to urban ecology and the business of art. To reach a wide variety of audiences, Tuwaiq Sculpture’s community events will take place from January to February in two locations across Riyadh, Durrat and JAX District, with activities for beginner and intermediate levels conducted in English and Arabic.
“Energy of Harmony,” the theme of Tuwaiq Sculpture 2023, was developed by curator Marek Wolynski and reflects on the fundamental characteristic of human existence — the ongoing synthesis of opposing forces. It encourages artists to reimagine sculptural possibilities and capture manifestations of ephemeral processes of introducing, witnessing, and experiencing change.
Wolynski is also the chairperson of the jury panel that has selected the Tuwaiq Sculpture artists, consisting of Alaa Tarabzouni, co-founder of Very Public and an architect, artist, and curator, whose practice focuses on urbanism and the built environment; Ali Al-Tokhais, a sculptor with a practice spanning 40 years and an expert in stones originating from Saudi Arabia; Dr. Effat Fadag, an acclaimed academic whose work revolves around the arts, culture and heritage of Saudi Arabia; and Johannes von Stumm, a critically acclaimed sculptor, president of the Oxford Art Society and past president of the Royal Society of Sculptors in the UK.
Participating artists will contribute to Tuwaiq Sculpture’s community engagement program, which will host school and university visits, providing students direct exposure to various sculptural practices, as well as sculpting skills, tools, techniques, and materials.
The full artist list is as follows:
Agnessa Petrova Bulgaria
Aleksandre Phophkhadze Georgia
Ana Maria Negară Romania
Azhar Madlouh Saudi Arabia
Bertha Shortiss Switzerland
Damjan Komel Slovenia
Fahad Aljebreen Saudi Arabia
Ikram Kabbaj Morocco
Javier Alvarez Germany
José Millán Spain
Liliya Pobornikova Bulgaria
Lyudmyla Mysko Ukraine
Marino Di Prospero Italy
Mohamed Elsayad Egypt
Mohammad Al-Faris Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Al-Thagafi Saudi Arabia
Nilhan Sesalan Turkiye
Noha Alsharif Saudi Arabia
Qian Sihua China
Rajaa Alshafae Saudi Arabia
Rob Good United Kingdom
Roland Hoeft Germany
Sasho Sazdovski North Macedonia
Stefan Esterbauer Austria
Sylvain Patte Belgium
Talal Altukhaes Saudi Arabia
Tatsumi Sakai Japan
Vasilisa Chugunova Russia
Wafa Alqunibit Saudi Arabia
Yannick Robert France
voco Alkhobar, an IHG hotel, recently celebrated three years of growth and success, also coinciding with the third anniversary of 100 other hotels of the voco brand around the world. Several officials, managers and employees of the hotel attended a function in Alkhobar to mark the occasion.
M. Allaf, regional general manager of IHG and general manager of voco Riyadh, said: “We are celebrating three years of success and achievements at voco Alkhobar and look forward to many more similar achievements in the years to come, as we are committed to serving the community,
and improving the quality of life and well-being of our guests, in order to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
As one of its most laudable achievements, the environment friendly voco has taken up several sustainability practices in accordance with the Vision 2030 goals, which aim at zero carbon neutrality by 2060.
voco makes use of large-sized containers for bathroom facilities to reduce plastic waste, in addition to using glass water bottles, thus abandoning more than 300 plastic bottles in each guest room annually. Moreover, the hotel mattress padding is made of 100 percent recycled materials, and ventilated shower heads in the bathroom cut down water usage and energy consumption for heating water.
Allaf said that sustainability is central to voco, which is why the hotel is committed to “continue taking action and launching initiatives to protect the planet and take care of all the communities in which we operate.”
“One of voco’s recent initiatives includes the opening of an EV station at voco Riyadh, which is in line with our sustainability goals,” he said.
The sensible traveler of today prefers eco-friendly hotels and therefore considers voco hotels to be an ideal destination for their stay, Allaf added.
The five-star hotel — voco Alkhobar — offers around 300 rooms
and three dining choices, namely Horizon, which serves international dishes all day, the Lebanese restaurant Naya, and the Indian restaurant Anardana. Some of the world-class facilities at the hotel to maintain and enhance the health and well-being of its guests, include a swimming pool, five spa rooms, separate health club facilities for men and women, sauna and jacuzzi, in addition to the classic Moroccan bath.
Business guests can benefit from the 11 conference rooms for meetings and events, fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
Arabian Automobiles, the flagship company of the AW Rostamani Group and the exclusive dealer for Infiniti in Dubai, Sharjah and the northern emirates, is taking part in Dubai Shopping Festival and rolling out exceptional perks across its Q50, QX50, QX55 and QX80 2023 lineup.
From driving comfort, a generous ergonomic cabin and elegant surfaces, which create individual space without losing connection to the passengers, to technical features and advancements, such as blind spot warning and rear automatic braking, customers have much to look forward to when driving the Q50, QX50, QX55 or QX80. They can also take advantage of comprehensive insurance, complimentary service packages, and five years’ warranty for the duration of the festival, taking place until Jan. 23.
Arabian Automobiles also offers 60-minute express service and free pick-up and drop-off for routine maintenance as part of the after-sales experience for every Infiniti owner to benefit from and enjoy.
The QX80 is leading the pack in its model range of luxury SUVs, and every new purchase during DSF also comes with a standout arrangement: Finance deals will be processed with no profit or interest — that is 0 percent. In pursuit of customer happiness and ease of mind, Arabian Automobiles also offers 60-minute express service and free pickup and drop-off for routine maintenance as part of the after-sales experience for every Infiniti owner to benefit from and enjoy.
“Arabian Automobiles is proud of its annual partnership with Dubai Shopping Festival, seeking to offer customers the most attractive deals by granting them access to exceptional perks while driving some of the finest cars in their respective grades,” the company said.
Arabian Automobiles is the flagship company of AW Rostamani Group. With more than 50 years in the business, the company is one of the leading automotive dealers in the GCC and exclusive distributor for Nissan, Infiniti and Renault vehicles in Dubai and the northern emirates
Rua Al-Madinah Holding is participating as a strategic sponsor in the ongoing Hajj Expo, taking place under the patronage of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and governor of Makkah region.
Organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the exhibition and accompanying forum are being held from Jan. 9-12 at the Jeddah Superdome.
With its strategic sponsorship of the international event, Rua Al-Madinah Holding aims to showcase its projects to a global audience. Since its founding, the company has worked to enhance the quality of pilgrimage services and enrich their overall experience within Madinah through a comprehensive hospitality ecosystem that comprises 47,000 hotel rooms.
The Hajj Expo brings together decision-makers, entrepreneurs and innovators to discuss options and solutions that make the Hajj and Umrah journeys as easy and safe as possible.
The event is showcasing a wide range of innovations, programs and initiatives that aim to enhance the quality of pilgrimage services. This includes a lineup of ministry-led workshops in which ongoing service sustainability and operational excellence efforts are being presented and discussed with public agencies, private businesses, and nonprofits for the ultimate benefit of Vision 2030’s Pilgrim Experience Program.
Expressing his pride in the company’s strategic sponsorship of the leading global industry event, Ahmad Al-Juhani, chief executive of Rua Al-Madinah Holding, said his company’s participation reflects the government’s limitless care for the well-being of the pilgrims and the relentless progress of the Hajj and Umrah sector.
Al-Juhani said that Rua Al-Madinah Holding’s presence at the Hajj Expo 2023 will help promote its projects, which aim to enrich the visitors’ experience to the Prophet’s city, and the role they play in hosting 30 million pilgrims by the year 2030, a major Vision
2030 objective.
Dell Technologies will host its Saudi Arabia forum on Jan. 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh.
The much-awaited Dell Technologies Forum will bring together business leaders and industry experts for an insightful conversation on shifts that are transforming the Saudi business landscape.
This year’s theme focuses on “Discovering the Endless Possibilities for Innovation” and features interactive keynotes, panel discussions, and several breakout tracks on cybersecurity, AI-powered decision-making, the future of work, and multi-cloud-as-a-service, among others.
Keynote speakers at the opening session include Dell Technologies’ Global Channel Chief Rola Dagher, Mohammed Amin, senior vice president, META; Mohamed Talaat, vice president, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Levant; and other senior executives who will share insights on technologies that are shaping the future of work and organizational growth.
As a trusted technology partner, Dell is committed to making transformation real for organizations in Saudi Arabia and has been instrumental in supporting its customers to innovate for their digital futures. The company has been present in the Kingdom for close to three decades. Today, it is among the leading technology providers with more than a 37 percent share in the server segment and 51 percent share in the storage segment, according to IDCs Quarterly Tracker for Q3 2022. This is driven by a growing number of partners who help local decision-makers seize new opportunities in today’s fast-paced economy.
Talaat said: “We are pleased to bring the Dell Technologies Forum to our customers in Saudi Arabia. Today, we stand at a pivotal moment as the nation undergoes a major transformation. We seek to explore these new frontiers of growth and innovation with our customers and partners. The Dell Technologies Forum presents opportunities that will strengthen our position as trusted advisers to our customers and partners and help Saudi businesses chart a clear roadmap for a promising future.”
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a Mubadala Health partner, has launched the 4th Angel Program, a personalized peer support initiative, aimed at empowering those affected by cancer and its treatment. The program has been extended from Cleveland Clinic and brought to the UAE in what is its first international expansion.
The 4th Angel idea came forward when Scott Hamilton, a US Olympic gold medalist in figure skating, recovered from cancer. He identified three angels who had helped him through his journey. Scott’s oncologist at Cleveland Clinic was his first angel; his oncology nurse was the second; and his family and friends were his third.
What he felt was missing, however, was a fourth angel — someone who “had been there” and would understand what he was feeling. This led to his idea to create a program in which cancer survivors and patients could talk to their peers about their cancer experience, bringing about the survivor-to-patient mentoring programs.
Dr. Stephen Grobmyer, institute chair of the Oncology Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “The 4th Angel Program is an extension of the compassionate care we provide. It aims to promote and support world-class research and quality care that will one day lead to a cure for cancer. The program empowers patients and their families, via education and guidance throughout their cancer journey of treatment and survivorship.”
Cancer is the third most common cause of death in the UAE. The 4th Angel Program, which will initially be rolled out to breast cancer patients, matches patients with trained volunteers of a similar age, and with similar cancer experiences. The program emphasizes one-on-one contact to best empower patients with knowledge. “Angels” are trained volunteers who can answer difficult questions and provide helpful, positive and much-needed strategies, learned from their own experiences.
“Our 4th Angel volunteers make a real difference in the life of someone affected by cancer by providing knowledge, spreading awareness around what patients can expect, building hope, and providing a helping hand. We will initially be focusing on breast cancer patients, since breast cancer is the most prevalent type of cancer in the UAE. However, in future, we will be opening this vital service to all cancer patients,” added Dr. Grobmyer.
Anyone diagnosed with cancer or caring for someone with cancer is eligible to become an “Angel.” When an Angel is requested, the patient will be matched based on similar experiences. The Angel contacts the patient to offer one-on-one support via phone, email or face-to-face meetings.
Dr. Grobmyer said: “We know that a cancer diagnosis for you or a loved one is a challenging time and can be a life-changing event. At our Oncology Institute, we offer expert, specialized treatment at every step of the journey, ensuring you receive the most appropriate and compassionate care you need.