The Call of Ithra
Walaa Fadul win's Ithra's second Artist Open Call
The call received 158 quality proposals, of which 11 artists were shortlisted.
Walaa Fadul is the winner of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture’s (Ithra) second Artist Open Call.
The call received 158 quality proposals, of which 11 artists were shortlisted. These artists participated in a five-day virtual training program that included an art-writing workshop, as well as activities and lectures in contemporary art.
Fadul’s keen talent and impressive art installation will be featured as part of Ithra’s upcoming contemporary art exhibition, “Seeing and Perceiving.” The exhibition is set to open in March.
The judging panel gave an honorable mention to Samah Bahjiri for her submitted portfolio, which reflected her clear and promising career in art. The panel was composed of those recognized in the art industry, including curators and artists.
Judges included:
- Antonia Carver, director of Art Jameel (Dubai’s contemporary art museum)
- Nada Sheikh-Yasin, director of 21,39 Jiddah Arts
- Abdulrahman Al Soliman, modern Saudi artist and writer who was the first elected president of the board of directors of the Saudi Arts Society
- Laila Al-Faddagh, head of Museums at Ithra
- Candida Pestana, curator of Contemporary Art at Ithra.
The judging panel met in late November and compiled their extensive knowledge to review the proposals submitted by the shortlisted artists, as well as their biographies and portfolios.
Despite the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, many artists submitted creative concepts.
Through the open call, Ithra is allowing Saudi artists to kick off their creative careers, learn from experts in the field, and explore the art industry within the Kingdom and beyond.
Ithra is a creative and cultural destination striving to ignite cultural curiosity, explore knowledge and inspire creativity through the power of ideas, imagination and innovation, and provide the historical, traditional, and global cultural experiences to local audiences.