Art from Saudi Arabia

I heard a brief interview on the radio with a female artist from Saudi Arabia - I could have listened to her all day. I didn't catch her name, but she is one of the artists featured in a new exhibition in London, titled The Edge of Arabia. I think it was Manal Al-Dowayan - and even if it wasn't, check out her photos. They are striking and genuinely thought-provoking.

In the interview, she talked about the differences between European and Arabian art. For example, the western idea of beauty is heavily influenced by the Greeks and sees the human figure as the ultimate symbol of beauty. For her culture, on the other hand, depicting the human figure (even clothed) is practially forbidden. She also pointed out that for us, rain is a symbol of gloom and mourning and darkness, but in her culture's art, it represents mercy.

I loved having the opportunity to peek into another culture's view of art. I hope you'll click over to Edge of Arabia and peruse some of their creations.