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Nasher Lends Strong Support to Culture in Saudi Arabia

Nasher participated in the Riyadh International Book Fair with several valuable publications - SPA
Nasher participated in the Riyadh International Book Fair with several valuable publications - SPA
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Nasher Lends Strong Support to Culture in Saudi Arabia

Nasher participated in the Riyadh International Book Fair with several valuable publications - SPA
Nasher participated in the Riyadh International Book Fair with several valuable publications - SPA

Nasher, the first publishing house affiliated with the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, is striving to give a boost to the cultural movement by launching and publishing its works during 2024, in a step that reflects the Kingdom's ambitious cultural vision and paves the way for a brighter future for literary publishing in Saudi Arabia, SPA reported.
Nasher participated in the Riyadh International Book Fair with several valuable publications, most notably three books about adventure tourism in the Kingdom, including the book "Al Dalila", which sheds light on six adventure routes in the Kingdom.
The book was published in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and the Saudi Sports for All Federation, and targets travel lovers and adventure enthusiasts, as it highlights the heritage and natural sites in the Kingdom's regions.
It displays a barcode that gives access to data about each site, including hotels and services. It was designed in cooperation with Saudi Tourism Authority to attract more tourists.
The book gives a wealth of references to adventurers and camping enthusiasts. To ensure wider reach, Nasher is working on translating this book into several languages and displaying it in 25 countries.
Among Nasher publications is also the “Blue Kingdom”, a comprehensive guide for diving enthusiasts in the Red Sea, be they beginners or professionals, with a barcode detailing diving, and island locations.
In the book “Shdad”, photographer Ibrahim Sarhan took three years to document traditional camel races and Bedouin culture in Tabuk region.

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Culture

Iran Artist's Vision For Culture Hub Enlivens Rustic District

Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
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Iran Artist's Vision For Culture Hub Enlivens Rustic District

Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP
Arabesque patterns feature in Yazdi's creations © ATTA KENARE / AFP

In the winding alleys of southern Iran, artist Adel Yazdi has taken it upon himself to turn his rustic old neighbourhood into a cultural and tourist hub through vibrant paintings and carved relief faces.

Narenjestan, a neighbourhood characterized by crumbling, uninhabited houses, is nestled in Shiraz, a southern city celebrated for its historic architecture, lush gardens and revered poets.

"Most of the dilapidated walls in old Shiraz have no historical value," said Yazdi, a bushy-bearded, bespectacled 40-year-old artist who has dedicated himself to revitalising Narenjestan, AFP reported.

Yazdi has over the years turned the long-neglected neighbourhood walls into a vivid visual tapestry "telling the stories of the people living here," he said.

Arabesque patterns and relief faces carved with intricate details and painted in an array of vivid hues of greens, pinks, blues and purples now adorn the walls.

With its striking designs and bright colors, Yazdi's art can be reminiscent of Surrealism. It often comes across as surprising, showcasing a different side of Iran's artistic heritage that goes beyond the conventional focus on Persian or Islamic architecture.

The artwork includes the face of Scheherazade, Yazdi said, referencing the legendary storyteller from the "One Thousand and One Nights" collection of folktales.

Yazdi's work stands out in Shiraz where graffiti and murals are rare, becoming a social media sensation and a tourist attraction.

One visitor, Mahdieh, discovered Yazdi's murals through Instagram.

"I arrived in Shiraz yesterday... and it was the first site I wanted to visit," said the 40-year-old, who declined to give her last name.

At the end of one alleyway, Yazdi has established his workshop in a century-old building with small rooms encircling a serene garden.

He also lives in the building, with a traditional Persian architectural style.

It is filled with artefacts and sculptures, resembling a museum warehouse.

To Maedah, a 30-year-old engineer, Yazdi's house brings to mind "other historical places in the city, such as the Eram Garden and the Mausoleum of the Poet Hafez".

Yazdi said he drew inspiration from the Pompidou Center in Paris, a cultural hub that transformed the heart of the French capital in the 1970s.

He hopes his efforts can turn Shiraz's alleyways into even more of a vibrant cultural center as well.

At his residence, visitors are particularly drawn to what Yazdi calls "the Finger Room."

Inside, he installed around 14,000 finger sculptures on the ceiling, all pointing downward.

"The room is inspired by the legend of an angel that counts raindrops with thousands of fingers," he said, referring to an Islamic fable.

"These fingers are there to constantly remind us that the present moment is precious and that we must seize it."