The culture of Saudi Arabia is a rich one that has been shaped by its Islamic heritage, its historical role as an ancient trade center, and its Bedouin traditions. Saudi society has experienced tremendous development over the past several decades. The Saudi people have taken their values and traditions – their customs, hospitality and even their style of dress – and adapted them to the modern world.
Arab and Islamic Traditions
Saudi traditions are rooted in Islamic teachings and Arab customs. The highlights of the year are the holy month of Ramadan and the Hajj (pilgrimage) season, and the national holidays that follow them. The holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, culminates with the Eid Al Fitr holiday. The Pilgrimage season draws millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world come to Makkah every year. It concludes with the Eid Al Adha holiday. Saudis’ valuable Arab traditions include generosity and hospitality. Arabic coffee (its preparation is also a form of cultural tradition) is often served in small cups along with dates and sweets as a hospitality gesture offered to visitors, friends or family.
The Arts
The General Presidency of Youth Welfare is responsible for the plastic arts movement in Saudi Arabia. It prepares both an annual and a five year plan for the encouragement and development of the arts, and organizes regular competitions and exhibitions. It also arranges exhibitions of Saudi Arabian art abroad to provide Saudi artists with an international forum and to strengthen cultural ties with the host Arab and western countries. The Presidency is an active participant in the Arab, regional and international Youth Festivals and Exhibitions. It also participates in the Biannual Arab Exhibition which is supervised by the Arab Plastic Artists Union. Two other organizations play a key role in the artistic life of Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts; and The King Fahd Cultural Center.
Faisal Abdulaziz AlKheriji is a Saudi contemporary artist. He mixes culture, cubism, and surrealism to create distinct portraits that shed a unique light on Saudi and Arab culture. From customs, and hospitality, to the style of dressing, AlKheriji portrays how Saudi culture is adapting to modernization and actively evolving in the 21st century. Faisal has been featured in various interviews & articles on renowned platforms and has shown work in several shows across the region.
Heba Ismail is one of the first Saudi artists to sell her work as NFTs through Open Sea and Nuqtah. Inspired by the likes of Picasso, she specializes in Fauvism and Cubism, featuring Saudi and arab looking characters in her work, creating a fusion between cubism and Arabic culture. Her work is a representation of her feelings and thoughts, each painting possesses a story through which she personifies her thoughts and feelings in these characters. Ismail has released several pieces and a collection as NFTs, making waves in the Web3 space as a Saudi artist.
Abdulnasser Gharem is a Saudi Arabian contemporary artist and a lieutenant in the Saudi Arabian army. His work comprises photography, video, performance, and sculpture, examining the nature of life in Saudi Arabia. He uses the street as a canvas to construct a social critique often by welcoming collaboration and involving the community within his projects. Gharem helped found the nonprofit arts organization Edge of Arabia, to help promote arts education and to give an international platform to contemporary Saudi artists. Also, Abdulnasser made history when his installation “Message”/”Messenger” sold for a world record price at auction in Dubai in 2011, establishing him as the highest-selling living Gulf artist.
By Maria Platonova, Digital art specialist