ART FROM SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi artist Shalimar Sharbatly has teamed up with famous artists including Omar Al-Najdi of Egypt and Juan Ramirez of Spain to hold joint exhibitions and carry out joint art works. Sharbatly said bringing together famous artists was a novel experiment, adding that it would boost cultural and intellectual exchange. Sharbatly, who has taken part in a number of national and international art shows, will hold her first joint show with the two artists on October 10 in Paris. French Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand will open the show in the presence of ambassadors and consuls from the three countries. A total of 60 art works, 20 by each artist, will be displayed. The artists are hoping to hold the shows in Jeddah, Cairo and Madrid as well as in other countries. She said she got the idea of holding this joint exhibition after the success of her participation in exhibitions outside the Kingdom, along with artists from other countries including Egypt and Spain. Sharbatly has done a number of wall paintings in the streets and squares of Jeddah. She has a 1.5-metre wide, 3-metre high painting on the Jeddah Corniche in addition to a 17-metre long painting in front of Guest Palace where the government lodges VIP visitors.