Written by Nathalie Bsat
Sarah Al Abdali is a Saudi Arabian artist, born in Jeddah in 1989. Her family has deep roots in the country, hailing originally from the Hejaz, a Western region of Saudi...
Written by Nathalie Bsat
Sarah Al Abdali is a Saudi Arabian artist, born in Jeddah in 1989. Her family has deep roots in the country, hailing originally from the Hejaz, a Western region of Saudi Arabia known for its rich history of cosmopolitanism and its significance to Islam. The Hejaz is of great importance to Muslims because it is the location of both Mecca and Medina, the first and second holiest cities in Islam, respectively.
Al Abdali is recognized today as one of the first Saudi street artists, in a socially conservative country where street art remained very rare. The artist commented that her investment in street art stems from its accessibility to people. She has used what she sees as a relatable art form to spark political debate in a public sphere that is heavily policed by the state. Among her works to firstly gain attention was a simple sign pointing to Mecca, where a graphic would ordinarily reproduce the Kaaba, hers showed a grouping of high-rise buildings. The artist intended here to comment on the overdevelopment of the holy city. To Al Abdali’s relief, reception of that piece, which she sprayed on walls throughout Jeddah, was generally positive, and many of her fellow Saudis agreed with the critique the artist had leveled. She soon realized her work being noticed and shared on social media.
Sarah Al Abdali begins her “tagging walks” in the Balad, or old city of Jeddah, where her family once had homes. Though curious about the conversations that her stencil work might inspire, she is not eager to be caught in the act; she always runs away after spraying a wall and reportedly loves the “rush” she gets from the subversive act. Despite her boldness and willingness to transgress specific rules, Al Abdali’s success in the conservative country is not entirely surprising, as she also celebrates her Saudi heritage and sees herself as a “protector” of its culture. Growing up, she was immersed in the history of the Hejaz as well as its natural and built landscape, and her deep fondness for it inspired an obligation towards preserving it; this culture’s increasing erasure by the speedy urbanization of Mecca and Medina became a cause for her concern and a central theme in her art.
The artist studied graphic design at Dar Al-Hekma University in Jeddah and then went on to pursue a two-year master’s program at the Prince’s School of Traditional Art in London. During her time in England, Al Abdali had the opportunity to learn various artistic techniques and traditions from throughout the Islamic world, including those from non-Arab cultures. Persian miniature painting was especially influential to the artist, who continues to evoke the tradition in works such as Sukoon and Abu Unaba (both 2018). Her work has also benefited from her training in wood and plaster carving, tile making, calligraphy and pattern making, as well as gypsum sculpting. The artist believes that these traditions should be appreciated for having enriched the landscape of the old Hejaz, and seeks to work with local craftsmen in hopes of reviving traditional methods and aesthetics in the face of urbanization and “one-size-fits-all” modern design.
Beyond her passionate engagement with nostalgic forms of artmaking, Al Abdali is interested in spreading awareness of contemporary social issues impacting the daily life of Saudis, as well as other humanitarian matters such as the Palestinian struggle. She understands the dangers of freely expressing her ideas in her country, however, especially when her work touches on “controversial” topics such as gender inequality, religion, or the politics of development. Her work can, therefore, be seen to employ design in order to find new and subtle ways of intervention, finding and exploiting the fine line between acceptable commentary and incendiary critique. Through various media, Al Abdali’s work captures the essence of good design, finding communicative solutions that convey her ideas while pleasing the viewer’s eye.
Sarah Al Abdali continues to live and work primarily in Saudi Arabia. Her work has appeared in international exhibitions such as #COMETOGETHER with Edge of Arabia in London (2012), RHIZOMA at the 55th Venice Biennale (2013) START Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery in London (2014), the Islamic Art Festival in Sharjah (2017) and Art Paris at the Grand Palais (2018).
Sources
Al Abdali, Sara. "Sara Al Abdali (@sarahalabdaliart) • Instagram photos and videos." Instagram. Accessed September 05, 2017. https://www.instagram.com/sarahalabdaliart/.
"About- Sarah Al Abdali." Sarah Al Abdali. Accessed September 05, 2017. http://www.sarahalabdali.com/about/.
"Sarah Al Abdali." Hafez Gallery. Accessed September 05, 2017. https://www.hafezgallery.com/sarah-alabdali--.
Bsheer, Rosie. "On Nostalgia and Material Culture in the Hijaz: An Interview with Sarah Al Abdali." Jadaliyya. November 07, 2013. Accessed September 05, 2017. http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/14969/on-nostalgia-and-material-culture-in-the-hijaz_an-.
"Saudi Arabian street artist Sarah Al Abdali - video." The Guardian. October 04, 2012. Accessed September 05, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/video/2012/oct/04/sarah-al-abdali-saudi-artist.
