Bonhams has announced the launch of their debut initiative in Saudi Arabia, comprised of an exhibition and programming around the event.
The exhibition, entitled Judhoor / Roots: The Origins of Saudi Modernism will take place from 8 to 10 October at LIFT Gallery in Riyadh’s JAX District, which is owned by HRH Princess Nouf bint Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Gathering a selection of seminal works from Saudi Modernists as well as archival material, the show will chronicle the beginnings of the Modern art movement in the Kingdom, detailing its evolution over the years, from its inception to its transformations during the 1980s.
Artists whose work will be showcased include Abdulhalim Radwi, Abdulrahman Al Soliman, Abdullah Al Shaikh, Bakr Sheikhoun, Ibrahim Al Fassam, Khalid Al Owais, Mohammed Al Saleem, Najla Al Saleem, Ola Hejazi, Safeya Binzagr, Saud Al Qahtani, Taha Al Sabban, and Wedad Alahmadi. It will also be the first time the late Binzagr’s work will be shown for the first time by an auction house.
Highlights from the exhibition include Portrait of a Woman by Bakr Sheikhoun, Untitled (From the Horizon Series) by Mohammed Al Saleem, Mountain Amongst the Palms by Abdulrahman Al Soliman and archival material from Dar Al-Fnoon, the first
Modern Art space in Saudi Arabia which was founded by Mohammed Al Saleem.
In addition to the exhibition, Bonhams will organise a panel talk at Maison Assouline near the historical district of Diriyah, where hosts and collectors Taha Al Kuwaiz and Muneera Al Touq will be joined by Najla Al Saleem, Abdulrahman Al Soliman, Lulwah AlHomoud, and Nada Al Rakaf, with Fadia Antar as moderator.
Nima Sagharchi, Group Head of Middle Eastern Art, comments: “This is the first auction-house curated exhibition of local modern art in the Kingdom, highlighting the deep roots of Saudi modernism and uncovering a largely overlooked history, one that foregrounds the narratives that predate today’s flourishing cultural moment.”
The works showcased at LIFT Gallery will then travel to London, where they will be on display during the November auction at Bonhams.
