King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language to Participate in Beijing Int'l Book Fair

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language to Participate in Beijing Int'l Book Fair
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King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language to Participate in Beijing Int'l Book Fair

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language to Participate in Beijing Int'l Book Fair

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language is preparing to participate in the Beijing International Book Fair 2024, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

It will be part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's pavilion as the guest of honor for this year's edition. The collaboration is in partnership with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission.

The event is scheduled to take place from June 19 to 23 at the China National Convention Center in Beijing.

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language's involvement in the Saudi pavilion aligns with various cultural and national entities to support the Human Capability Development Program, which aims to realize the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 through the implementation of relevant qualitative activities, such as seminars and panel discussions, under the participation of Saudi and Chinese researchers.

Additionally, the academy is set to host the Saudi-Chinese Linguistic Forum, a scientific and cultural event organized in cooperation with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission.



Van Gogh Painting Falls Short of Expectations in Hong Kong Auction

A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
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Van Gogh Painting Falls Short of Expectations in Hong Kong Auction

A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP
A visitor looks closely at 'Les canots amarres' by Vincent van Gogh at Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong. Peter PARKS / AFP

A Vincent van Gogh painting displaying the artist's shift from dark realism to vibrant impressionism sold for US$32.2 million at a Hong Kong auction on Thursday, falling short of expectations that it would fetch a record-breaking price.
"Les canots amarres" -- or "the moored boats" -- was the centerpiece of an inaugural evening sale held to celebrate the opening of auction house Christie's new Asia Pacific headquarters.
According to Christie's, it was expected to fetch HK$230-380 million (US$30-50 million) on the auction floor, AFP reported.
If bidding had reached the higher end of the estimated value, it could have surpassed Jean-Michel Basquiat's "Warrior" -- which went for HK$323.6 million in 2021 -- as the most expensive Western painting sold in Asia.

But the hammer of auctioneer Adrien Meyer fell Thursday at HK$250 million.
Cristian Albu, deputy chairman and head of 20th/21st century art at Christie's Asia Pacific, said the price was the "record of a Van Gogh in Asia.”
The auction house was "cautious" with its lineup on Thursday in hopes of boosting market confidence, added Ada Tsui, head of evening sale and specialist for 20th/21st century art.
Owned by the Italian royal family of Bourbon Two Sicilies, the Van Gogh painting is "the most important painting by the artist ever to be offered in Asia,” Christie's said in its introduction.
"'Les canots amarres' marks a vital stepping stone in his career," it said.
The painting is one of about 40 works Van Gogh developed around the scenic French town of Asnieres, a boating hub on the outskirts of Paris, during the summer of 1887.